Team 5
by Lysdexic
Summary: A series of seemingly unrelated events results in the creation of team 5, a group specialized in espionage, counter-intelligence, and sabotage. Follow the tale of a Kumo defector, a member of near dead clan, an aspiring seal and trap master, and a boy hell bent on getting his father's taijutsu style recognized as they show the world why you don't mess with Konohagakure.
1. A Clan's Demise

So here's the deal. I like to write, but feel I could use some serious peer review. Fan Fiction gives me a good place to start for a number of reasons.

Plenty of people to see and critique my work.

Anonymous. Besides my pen name and my (very common) first name, you have no way of identifying me.

Using a setting that's already in place allows me to work on something that I feel I really need: Character development.

I have a decade of DM experience under my belt and can cook up a setting idea in about ten minutes. I can flesh that shit out in an hour. Plot? Same general process. Since NPCs in DnD are generally throw away characters, there is almost no character development to them. As for the villains, the players tend to flesh them out through juxtaposition.

That leaves my writing with a glaring weakness. I suck at character development. So I present for your reading and review, a story set in the Naruto world. I chose to use my own original characters instead of the ones provided so that I had to start from scratch. I can't fall back on the normal characters' cliches. Of course, the normal gang will be there, affecting and being affected by these characters.

Feel free to leave me whatever opinion you have on the story, but please be sure to say why you have that opinion. I can't get better if I don't what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for your time.

Cosmic Jackass,

James

* * *

The death toll was high, so very high. Sarutobi continued down the list of the confirmed dead, and it never seemed to stop. This was just his shinobi, too. He hadn't made it to the civilian list yet. There were more than a few missing persons reports as well. The Sandaime had personally seen more than one person get completely vaporized by the Kyuubi's attacks, so most of that list would be pronounced dead.

He placed the list down along with his reading glasses, and with a heavy sigh rubbed his hands over his face. He had put the town in good hands, and then retired. Few ninja ever made it to his age, and he was, to his knowledge, the oldest kage in history. He should have been able to rest and enjoy his twilight years watching a younger and much abler man carry on the duties of Hokage.

Before he could really get into self pity, a knock sounded timidly at the office door. He had stated at his emergency re-appointment that the policy of his door being open to any who wished to speak with him was still in place. Most understood that he needed time to sort through this mess and had left him be. Those that had come to see him had mostly been civilians looking to help in whatever way they could. He had set up a table in the lobby for volunteers after the first few. A few, like his political rival Danzo, were bothering him about their new jinchuuriki, but he had waved them off until the aftermath had been managed. What else was there to press him with? Almost everyone was engaged in some task.

"Enter," he said simply, unable to conjure a reason for the disturbance.

The door opened, then closed, with no apparent visitor. He felt a presence and prepared to defend himself from attack.

"Please," a frightened voice, young and probably female, quavered, "I just need your help."

A girl, no more than seven or eight years of age appeared before his desk. Beside her a solid black cat was just beginning to groom itself. She bowed deeply to him, then raised her head. She looked haggard and exhausted, but watched him intently with yellow-green eyes that looked as if they belonged to the cat next to her.

"I am Sakibou Ren," she introduced herself, then gesturing to the cat, "This is Mikazuki."

The family name sounded slightly familiar to Sarutobi, and those eyes and the significance of introducing her pet cat were important too. He took her measure more carefully. She was most certainly not over the age of ten, but looked like a war refugee. She wore garment that, while badly damaged, indicated that she was either a shinobi or training as one. Her hair was cut short, but as if in haste, like a blade had been used to shore it off. Through the mud in it he saw it was jet black. Her skin was a few shades darker than the locals; where it wasn't caked in dirt anyway. Sarutobi could place all of the clans and most of the families in Konoha. This girl was from none of them. To the Sandaime's mild surprise, the girl met his scrutiny with patience.

"I am Sarutobi Hiruzen," he finally said, "Hokage of this village. What brings you to me?"

An audible sigh of relief could be heard as the girl gathered her frayed wits, "I seek protection from my clan's enemies, Hokage-sama."

"Who are these enemies? Why do you need protection? What of your clan?" he fired off.

"Kumogakure, They seek to kill us, My clan hold is destroyed," she fired back just as quick.

Sarutobi suddenly remembered where he had heard her name before. The Sakibou were said to be one of the last undeclared clans. Almost all of the others had declared allegiance to a hidden village. Her clan, if he remembered right, was geographically near Kumo. This girl was far more than she seemed; far more trouble. He had already decided to hear her out, though. With his town hurting so bad, it was hard to turn his back on yet another lost soul.

"Start from the beginning, child... leave nothing out."

XxXxXxXxX

Ren woke with a start to the sound of her newborn brother crying. That in and of itself was not unusual, but something, some deep feeling, tugged her out of bed to investigate. She followed the cries of her brother and the gentle cooing of her mother to her father's study.

"... and it isn't even confirmed yet," she heard her father say through the slightly ajar door, "I just think it's wise that you and the children get to the shelters."

Her mother sighed, "I am a clan kunoichi, love. I should be fighting, too."

"So soon after such a difficult birth?" he countered, "You've been bed ridden until just yesterday."

Ren jumped as she felt something cold and damp press against her leg. She looked down to see her fathers golden tiger sniffing at her. He gave her a quizzical look and motioned its head towards the door. If she refused his invitation, he would probably just push her in.

"You sly old cat," she chastised jokingly as she rubbed his ears, "I know I'm caught."

She left the purring tiger in the hall as she entered the study. She noticed her own companion, Mikazuki, lying on her father's desk and he meowed at her in greeting. The black cat's presence explained her earlier unease. The Sakibou had a deep connection with their feline companions and they could communicate empathically. Zuki had been spying for her. She could hardly chastise him for it; she had trained the cat to do just that.

Like most of the clan, her father was a smallish man. He had barely manage to make the halfway mark between five and six feet, but was still one of the tallest in the clan. His hair was jet black, a trait he had passed to his daughter and newborn son. His eyes were striking, a mismatched blue and green, and had the trademark feline appearance.

Her mother was from a distant branch of the clan, and while she had golden marquis eyes, that was where the resemblance stopped. She was taller than her husband by a head, but just as slender. Her hair was a thick mane of gold that matched so well with her mountain lion companion, who was currently sitting at her feet in his smaller form. She still held her fussing newborn who, despite a week of life, had yet to be named. Ren's mother had been too weak to perform the important ceremony that would give her son not only a name, but the seal that would allow him to fully bond with his companion spirit and its host cat. Ren had offered to stand in her mother's place; all the members above the age of four were drilled in its execution. Despite profuse thanks, however, her mother had turned her down.

"Ren..." her father seemed about to send her away, but then thought better of it, "I'm glad you're here."

That caused her a bit of excitement. Her father had a tendency to shelter and baby her, but she was set to become the third youngest kunoichi in her clan's history; fitting for the daughter of the clan leader's second son. She would be a full fledged ninja at the age of nine. It seemed her father was beginning to acknowledge that his daughter was growing up.

"Ren, someone may be about to attack the clan hold," he told her, "I want you to take your mother and brother to Matatabi-sama's cave. Many of the other young shinobi will be there to help protect our non-combatants. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, father," Ren replied without hesitation, "I won't fail you."

The smile he gave her had her beaming up until the first explosion went off.

XxXxXxXxX

Running.

They were running, and running fast.

The past... was it an hour? Or a minute?

Ren couldn't tell. She remembered flying into her room to retrieve her gear, the deafening roar of an avalanche in her ears. The next she remembered she was putting her brother, lulled into sleep by some herbs, into a special harness and putting him on her back. They had run for Matatabi's cave as they had been told, but had turned away when they had seen it under attack already. Her mother had frantically pulled her down a less traveled mountain trail, and had set a pace that might have gotten them killed.

Soon the shock of the situation wore off Ren, and training kicked in. She began to pay close attention to her surroundings, and realized they were headed to a postern gate in the south western wall. Zuki was shadowing them, using his genjutsu to help mask their flight, but his powers were still not fully mature. Her mother's companion was gone; she had veered off to intercept an enemy that had seen through Zuki's genjutsu. Ren's attention was grabbed by the glint of flying steel.

"MOM!" she screamed, "DOWN!"

Her mother didn't hesitate, and lost only a few strands of stray hair to the barrage of shuriken aimed for her head and chest. The sudden stop and drop did its own damage, however; as she came to her feet, Ren could see blood seeping through her shirt in the same spot they had cut her brother out.

"Mom," Ren said weakly, "You're bleeding."

Ignoring the reopened incision, her mother captured Ren's face in her hands and locked her with an intense gaze.

"Take your brother and go, Ren," she said with alarming calm, "go south and west as fast and far as you can. Find somewhere safe and make me proud."

She planted a quick but loving kiss on Ren's forehead, then turned to face the three shinobi that had thrown the shuriken, the cloud symbol glinting in mixed fire and moon light showed the girl who their enemy was. There was an odd presence about them, and a gleam to their eyes that bespoke terrible consequences should they catch her.

"All done, sweetheart?" One asked with exaggerated kindness.

"Polite of you to wait," her mother replied, "Ren... I said GO!"

The paralysis induced by seeing her mothers blood broke suddenly, and she did as ordered. As she ran she heard the beginnings of pursuit and then a cry of pain.

"Oh dear," she heard her mother say in a chiding tone, "You need to be careful running on these mountain paths. You could trip and hurt yourself."

The last she heard was another of the attackers screaming about her mother being akin to a female dog in heat.

She ran as fast as she could, then went faster.

It seemed like an eternity, but she reached the postern gate. It was already open, and a lone shinobi leaned against the frame. He turned in surprise as she came pelting out of the trees trying to use speed and her small size to slip by. Despite that, he caught her in one meaty arm, her momentum knocking the breath from her.

"And just where are you off to so late at night, girly?" he asked with feigned concern, his eyes glinting cruelly, "Girl your age might run into an unsavory sort gallivanting about like you are."

To drive his point home, he turned her to face him and made to lick her cheek. She rewarded him with nails to the face, using chakra to sharpen them. His surprise gave her the chance to drive a stiffened finger into his eye. She felt a sickening, yet oddly satisfying, pop as he wailed in agony. He didn't loosen his grip as she hoped, but tightened instead.

"YOU LITTLE WHORE!" he screamed, "I'M GONNA GUT YOU AND CHOKE YOU WITH YOUR OWN ENTRAILS!"

She clawed at his face again, but he grabbed her long hair with his free hand and jerked her away. She had put it up in a tight bun to help prevent just that, but it had come undone in the wild flight. His hand clenched in her long black hair, he let go of her torso to draw a wicked looking knife. Fear made her frantic as she kicked and punched wildly at her attacker, but she was only a nine year old girl and could do no real damage to a fully grown man in her state of panic. Her last desperate thoughts turned to her brother, helpless in his harness on her back.

She felt a pain in her scalp and suddenly she was free. She went to her knees, not expecting the need to support her own weight. She looked up in time to see another man, wearing the symbol of Kumo, slam a kunai into its new home in her attacker's heart. Her rescuer gave her an irritated look.

"Go damnit!" he growled, "More will be coming."

XxXxXxXxX

She looked back at her home from a nearby mountain pass. She had no clue how long the attack had been going on, but the battle still raged. She saw gouts of blue-black flame that signified Matatabi fighting and held to a shred of hope that the great one would win and punish the assailants.

Her hopes were dashed when she felt the stirring of a great power.

She felt more than saw the dark aura rising from the ground where the fighting was happening, and despite her fears she channeled chakra to her eyes. She had never seen a death god before, but there was no mistaking the massive spirit she saw as anything but a shinigami. Shortly after, the blue flames died, and her hopes with them.

XxXxXxXxX

The herbs wore off shortly after sunrise, and her little brother awoke with a wail.

She eventually managed to calm and quiet him with a bottle she found in a pack she hadn't realized she had. Mikazuki had shadowed her the entire way out and continued to scout the area for her, but had noticed no signs of pursuit. That was good, since she figured everything for nearly a mile had heard the baby wailing.

After eating, the boy went right back to sleep. That freed her up to look after the little kitten destined to be her brother's companion she had also found bundled in the pack. She wondered at the luck of the tiny feline making it through the whole ordeal unscathed. She turned her thoughts from the night before they could fill her with despair and bottle fed the kitten.

This was her first time meeting her brother's companion, so she looked it over. It had an odd rust brown color along it's back with the faintest signs of black speckling that would later become spots on an otherwise light brown coat. It's underside was a creamy color, and it had a black face and paws.

"A lynx,"she declare holding it out to Zuki for his inspection.

"Browww," he agreed, though with a fair amount of uncertainty.

"You don't think so?" she asked him, "Well I bet I'm right."

Zuki proceeded to implore her to rest. He hadn't found any sign of danger nearby, and she needed to sleep. She tried to argue, but soon found herself nodding off. She made a bed of pine needles and a blanket, curled up around her brother and his kitten, and fell into fitful, nightmare laden sleep.

XxXxXxXxX

She awoke to the sensation of wet, fine sandpaper dragging across her cheek.

She opened her eyes and met the green eyed gaze of Mikazuki who meowed in greeting. Sitting up Ren saw it was still light out and decided she had to move. Her mother told her south west, so she would go south west.

The thought of her mother brought tears to her eyes. She was about to break down when she felt a furred flank rub against her leg. Looking down, Ren saw her jet black cat working a figure eight around her legs purring deeply all the while. She sat down and scooped up her feline friend and cuddled him. He would normally have bitten her for such embarrassing treatment, but he bore it for the time being.

"What am I going to do, Zuki?" she asked.

"Mroooww..." was the only answer he gave.

The cat had conveyed nothing but confidence in her, but that was the most he could do. Few in her clan had the ability to truly communicate with the cats as one did with people. Her parents had been able to talk with their cats...

That thought almost started her back towards despair when she heard her brother stir. The poor boy didn't even have a name yet, since their mother had been too weak to perform the naming ceremony. An idea hit her then, and she went rummaging through her pack. She found what she suspected; a jar of sealing ink and a calligraphy kit.

An ironic laugh escaped her. Her mother had thought of everything including vials of her own and their father's blood to activate the ink. Ren stowed the precious items needed for the naming and resolved to find a better and safer place to perform one of her clan's most sacred rites.

It wasn't long before she had packed up her meager camp, and slung her brother in his harness. She placed him to her front this time, his face outward where his bright golden eyes could take in the world. As she moved off he cooed and looked up at her.

"It's okay," she said with conviction, "I will always protect you."

XxXxXxXxX

The Hokage leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in thought. Ren was worried he might disbelieve her. She had revealed her brother at his request part way through the story. The old man had seemed very relieved to see the golden eyed boy both unharmed and rather happy. Ren had absentmindedly fed him from a bottle while she finished, and now he slept soundly in her arms, his kitten asleep on his belly.

"A few questions, Ren," the Hokage finally said, "You know of no other survivors?"

Ren had to fight back tears, but she managed to answer, "I can only hope, but I met none."

To the mans credit, he seemed genuinely sad about that. More and more she was beginning to feel she had made the right choice in coming here.

"You claimed to see a shinigami," he went on, "Normally only the summoner of such a being and its target can see it. How can you?"

"It's called the Reimokushi in my clan," Ren answered, "Not all of us have it, but it is common in my family. Many believe Matatabi-sama gifted it to us when we first protected her."

"What of this... Matatabi?" he asked, "You spoke of this person as if they held great power and respect, but I have not heard the name before."

This was where Ren had to gamble.

Considering recent events in Konoha, a truthful answer may have caused serious problems. She weighed the odds of slipping a lie past the old Hokage, but looking into those piercing eyes, she decided against it. This man was the only hope for salvation she had. Should he turn her away, her clan was doomed to disappear forever.

"You may know Matatabi-sama by a different name," she said carefully, "She is also known as the Nibi no Nekomata."

Sarutobi nearly slipped from his chair in surprise. The power of the Sakibou clan... It's ability to stay autonomous had come from a biju of all things.

He inwardly cursed his lack of composure as he saw the girl's apprehension from his reaction.

He schooled his features and asked, "Your clan served a demon?"

"Matatabi-sama was _not _a demon!" Ren shot back indignantly, "Her aura was pretty, and she was too kind."

He could feel her killing intent spike rather high for someone her age. She truly felt that the Nibi was a respectable benefactor, and evidence pointed to that conclusion as well.

That gave the old man some pause. If the the Nibi had coexisted peacefully with a clan of shinobi, even granting them power, what had happened to the Kyuubi? Was it so different from its fellow biju?

"My apologies, Ren," Sarutobi offered in repentance, "Understand that we just experienced a severe tragedy due to a biju. I would not go around gushing about the Nibi."

"Does... does that mean you will let us stay?" she asked timidly, the cautious hope in her eyes almost enough to extract an unconditional 'yes' from him then and there.

The Hokage sighed. He could ill afford two more orphans despite his desire to help, but the girl had given him some good intel on Kumo. If he was right, they now had the Nibi sealed to add to their arsenal. Another thought occurred to him, though. This girl had escaped a large scale assault and made a long trek through hostile territory. Perhaps he could take in a new shinobi and her brother, if not a pair of orphans.

"You said you were about to be made a full fledged shinobi..."

"A week from the attack, Hokage-sama."

"What are your areas of greatest ability?" he asked, "What was the focus of your training?"

"My father told me that I excel at taijutsu, and Zuki can do genjutsu," she replied with a tinge of pride, "I was specifically trained as a diplomatic liaison. I was going to be sent around the land with my mother as she brokered deals and spied for the clan... Why do you ask?"

The Hokage thought about where a girl with her training would be best suited. He smiled inwardly as he decided to use her as one of his watchers, a loose group of spies that provided him with intel and data on his own village. It would give him another set of eyes in the village, and allow her to raise her infant brother. His choice made, he gave the girl a small smile. Luckily, since she had no ties to any village, he could simply give her citizenship.

"Normally, we test our prospective shinobi before assigning them the rank of genin," Sarutobi explained as he rummaged through his desk, "but you have demonstrated drive and determination in getting here, stealth and resourcefulness in sneaking into my very office, and a great strength of character by speaking truthfully to me. These are all skills and traits of a Konaha ninja."

He pulled forth a plate of metal with a stylized leaf design and held it for her to see, "The mark of a Konoha shinobi."

He stood and rounded his desk to hand it to her directly, "I name you a citizen of Konhagakure no Sato, and bestow upon you the rank of genin."

"I..." was all Ren could manage.

"You will, however, not be assigned to a team," the Hokage went on, "I have a different assignment for you."

"I will preform it to the best of my abilities, Hokage-sama," Ren replied with conviction.

"You will observe the people of this village, civilian and shinobi alike," he explained, "I want you to observe groups, not specific people. Log their general activities and conversation topics. Note what people buy and sell and where from. Log even where people choose to eat. To anyone but me, you will be a civilian. Can you do this?"

"I can..." he could hear hesitation in her voice, "But what will doing all that give you?"

"An understanding of the way my people think and feel," the Hokage answered, "You may not understand yet, but even the most innocuous information can lead to insight."

"You will be given a continuous stipend as if you had completed a C-rank mission once a week, so long as you report once a week," he offered, "In addition, some land within the village seems to be going very cheap. I can loan you a sum from my personal account to acquire some and build a home. Your repayment will come from your weekly pay... with interest of course."

"That... that's very kind of you Hokage-sama," Ren stammered out, "I don't know what to say."

That was true enough. The Hokage had blown her wildest hopes out of the water. She had hoped only for a safe place to raise her brother. He had given her so much more. A thought occurred to her then.

"Hokage-sama," she ventured, "If I may ask you for a small honor."

The Hokage looked at her with a bit of surprise. The girl was amazingly bold to ask for something else just after he had given so much.

Taking his incredulous silence as an invitation to continue, Ren went on, "My brother is still without a name... The ritual of naming is very important in my clan."

Now the Hokage was intrigued, "Go on."

"Normally, our mother would perform the rite, but she is most likely... dead," she nearly choked on the word, "As his remaining relative I can perform it, but normally a clan elder would witness it... to make it legal."

"I believe I see what you are getting at, child," Sarutobi smiled gently, "I would be honored to preside over the naming of your brother."

XxXxXxXxX

Sarutobi was impressed with the girls fuinjutsu. He had no doubt that every Sakibou was drilled endlessly with the seal she had placed over her brother's heart, but the intricacy of it should still have given her trouble. The radial design had a blank space right over his heart when she was done. At the end she had placed his name in the spot.

"I name you Sakibou Osamu," Ren intoned, "May you carry his strength as you carry his name and blood, and may his spirit guide you to greatness."

After the short ceremony, he had given her guest quarters in the tower normally reserved for diplomats. Now he sat, smoking his pipe in contemplation. The Nibi, Kumo, Sakibou... what did all this mean for Konoha. Only time would tell, he supposed.

He hoped that one day the Sakibou would be another of Konoha's great clans. His support of them today would leave them beholden to the office of Hokage. He knew he and those who followed him would need all the support they could get.

At the very least, he had another watcher amongst the people. His network was large, but loose to keep his political rivals from compromising it. Few brought him directly valuable intel, but he had gleaned more than one assassination attempt from the data.

He looked down at his lists and sighed. He needed all the help he could get.


	2. The Traitor

A/N: I'll try to get these out about once every one or two weeks, but I can't really make any promises. I already have the next three chapters roughed in and just need to go over them a couple of times for grammar, spelling, and continuity. Please drop me a line to let me know what I am doing right or wrong.

* * *

The Hokage examined his guest and found him to be the plainest man he had ever seen.

He was about five and a half feet in height, had light brown hair and hazel eyes. His was a medium build, and the Hokage swore the man would disappear in a crowd in seconds his features were so plain. He wore the typical garb of a Kumo shinobi on a mission: fitted dark grey pants and shirt with sandals and a flak vest. He had his Hitai-ate tied to his upper right arm, and carried a supply pouch on his left thigh. Slung across his back was a massive scroll that he had absolutely refused to part with. All of his weapons and other gear had been checked at the gate, however.

Considering not three hours ago, a member of a now defunct clan had claimed Kumo shinobi had wiped them out, the Hokage was prepared to send the man packing, but not before he heard what he had to say.

"Hokage-sama," the man began with a bow, "I am Ryouko Hiroto, and I have come to offer information to help ensure the safety of the two orphans who entered your village ahead of me."

That put Sarutobi on his proverbial heels. Here stood a member of a village accused of wiping out an entire clan, and he was trying to aid his accusers. What, then, was going on?

"Tell, me, Hiroto-san, why are you seeking to help these alleged orphans?" the Hokage asked.

"To atone," he said simply, "and to honor the last wish of a desperate and dying woman."

The Hokage gave a deep sigh. Those children had definitely brought him trouble, "Start from the beginning. I will decide on a course of action after I have heard you out."

XxXxXxXxX

It had been seven long days, but they were almost through. A twelve man team, all with earth tunneling techniques had quietly and slowly pushed their way through the peak of a mountain above the Sakibou's clan hold.

The Sakibou had chosen their land well. The whole complex sat on tiers carved high on one side of a valley. The bottom of the valley was heavily forested, but filled with the clan's pets and scouts. The Sakibou had destroyed all the other spots in the valley where someone might have been able to safely build, making it impossible to lay siege to them from a distance. Many had believed that attacking the clan was impossible.

Now all that lay between them and their quarry was about a foot of rock. Their leader checked his notes and the time and chuckled.

"Congratulations boys," he said a little mockingly, "We're half a day ahead of schedule. Everyone get some rest."

The group of Kumo shinobi obliged by laying where ever they could find space and dozing off.

One lay awake, however, nervously fiddling with a kunai.

Hiroto had earned the nickname Bonjin for his average... well... everything. His looks that let him melt into crowds. His academy scores that had him sitting in the middle of the pack. His middling ability with the primary ninja skills. The only thing he excelled at was drawing. Many claimed his sketches could be mistaken for black and white photos when complete, and he had often been used as a scout for his photographic memory and his ability to recreate what he saw with his sketch pad. It hadn't been until real combat that anyone realized he was good at anything else.

He had dumbfounded his superiors with amazing speed, grace, and a pension for blending his taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu to devastating effect. None of his individual abilities were very complex or advanced, but used in concert, they bewildered his enemies. Those skills earned him a promotion to chunin and a place in the upcoming assault.

The attack that was about to go down had been years, almost generations, in the making. Their team was supposed to provide an initial distraction by blowing a hole in the mountain. Specialists had determined that this peak was unstable and had a very good chance of avalanche when the explosives went off. That would provide the lower strike force, who would be coming up the Sakibou valley wall a chance to push into the compound.

Two hundred shinobi had been hand picked for this mission, fifty jounin with three chunin apiece. It was the greatest showing of Kumo strength since the Third Shadow War.

There were three priorities for the attack. Wipe out the Sakibou, secure their scrolls and instructional literature, and secure the Nibi no Nekomata.

Wiping out the Sakibou seemed foolish and wasteful to Hiroto. He supposed that the Raikage had taken umbrage with the way Sakibou leaders constantly rebuffed his offers to let them join with Kumogakure. The Sakibou had made plenty of offers of alliance themselves, but flat out refused to give up their autonomy. That and the Nibi; which was what the Raikage really wanted.

Not that Hiroto would ever tell any of his comrades, but this attack felt like a betrayal to him. Sakibou had declared long ago that would aid Kumo in defense of the Land of Lightning, and had made good on that claim in the last war. Hiroto could remember stories from his now deceased father of the mighty cats at the Sakibous' command.

Eventually, despite his misgivings, Hiroto managed to doze off, and soon he was nudged awake by his team leader, a hulking man with more scars than skin.

They set up their explosive tags as directed, then backed out of the tunnel shortly before detonation. The sound was deafening, but after the explosion a constant roar could be heard.

They had started the predicted avalanche.

Moving back through the tunnel, they found their explosive expert to be worthy of his title. The exit had been blasted out without collapsing the way through.

Years of training in Lightning's mountainous land allowed them to quickly descend across the dangerous terrain with relative ease. As they worked their way down the slope, they saw that their avalanche had destroyed a fair portion of the clan's upper tier where many of the shinobi and guard forces were housed. A few muted screams could be heard from the rubble, evidence of the successful initiation of the plan. The sounds made Hiroto uneasy, but he focused on the mission at hand. His four man team split off and headed for a larger building near the center of the compound. It had been marked as the clan's library, and his team had been designated to raid it.

Their first real contact with the enemy had them faced off against a handful of normal guards. The men didn't stand a chance against the concerted efforts of a team of prepared shinobi. After that fight, they made use of narrow alleys and dark shadows to make their way. It was slower, but much stealthier.

The problem was Sakibou eyes mimicked those of a cat, and could pierce darkness easily. A pair of the clan's shinobi caught up to them just outside their target.

The first immediately engaged their jounin leader while the other let loose a hail of kunai to split up their tight formation. A few flashes of light and some sizzling from the locked combatants indicated ninjutsu had entered into the equation. The result was the Sakibou ninja flying back to bounce off a wall.

"That the best you got, cat man?" his scarred leader scoffed.

"Not by a long shot," the man grunted.

As if on cue, a large shadow detached itself from a wall to come flying at the jounin. The speckled cat must have been twice his size; Hiroto wondered how such a big thing could manage to hide anywhere, then remembered the size changing powers of the cats from his father's stories. Before anyone could react, the dark furred monster had gotten its jaws around the jounin's neck. A moment later and a resounding snap was heard. His leader's limp body dropped from the creature's maw.

"Kill them," it's injured master ordered, but the thing turned its yellow eyes on him.

"You let him have too much!" his partner yelled, glancing from his fight with one of Hiroto's teammates. The act proved his undoing as he received a kunai in his eye as he turned back.

"Everyone inside," Hiroto called, wanting to get his team out of sight before the great cat decided there was more sport in three healthy ninja rather than a single injured one. He resolved to consider the puzzle of the cat turning on its master later.

His team acted on his orders without hesitation, running inside the building they had been sent to loot. Shutting the heavy doors behind him, Hiroto found himself face to face with the milky-eyed visage of an old, blind man. The codger looked like a wrinkled bag of leather stuffed into a night gown.

"Wha's goin on out thar?" the old man asked, far louder than necessary with his lack of teeth slurring his speech, "Souns like fireworks an all that hooplah. We celebratin sumtin?"

"Sure thing gramps," Hiroto answered loudly so the old man could hear him.

"Well keep that mess from ma libary," the man replied, "Them pop-fizzlin boom toys'll set tha whole place ablaze."

"Don't worry gramps," Hiroto assured him, using hand signals to direct his men to start collecting everything they could, "No harm will come to your books and scrolls."

"All righ den. Don stay up too late readin, hear?"

The old man hobbled off, tapping his cane to find his way. He left Hiroto frowning as he watched his fellow ninja plunder the Sakibou archive; more and more he felt this wasn't right, but his place was to hear and obey, not question.

The library wasn't huge. Kumo had one nearly four times its size, but this one held many one of a kind tomes and instructional scrolls. Rumor had it, the clan held the Cat Summoning Scroll here too. Hiroto set himself the task of finding it to keep his mind from more troubling thoughts. He could hear the battle rage outside as he searched, though, and the more he heard, the more agitated he got.

After a few minutes, he hit some luck and found a bookcase askew. Pulling it out of the way revealed a blank wall, but Hiroto knew better. A quick search of the wall and he found numerous small holes in it, as well as a section of stone that had almost imperceptible seams around it.

He reached into his pack and pulled out a rod the length of his forearm, and a quick flick extended it to over his height. Standing off to the side, he pressed in the suspect stone and was awarded with a click and several small darts flying past him. A moment later, and the wall swung open. Inside was the prize he sought. The giant scroll looked cumbersome, but had a handy strap for slinging it across the back.

Turning back to check on his team brought him a horrid sight. On the ground was the old man from before, lying in a spreading pool of blood. His teammates were taking turns slashing light cuts into the codger's flesh as the old man whimpered pitifully.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Hiroto demanded, aghast at their actions.

"Orders were to eliminate the Sakibou," one answered.

"Yea," the other agreed absently as he cut the old man again.

The look in their eyes disturbed Hiroto deeply. Something was terribly wrong here. Kumo shinobi weren't anywhere near kind or warm, but they weren't cruel. They were professionals that killed quickly and cleanly.

What they were doing now was as unprofessional, and depraved, as could be. Hiroto strode over to the old man and, with a quick motion, slashed his throat to end his suffering.

"The hell is wrong with the two of you?" he asked, angry confusion evident in his voice.

"We were just having fun, Bonjin. Calm down."

A closer look at the man had Hiroto convinced that something wasn't right. The man's eyes had a crazed look to them. Hiroto had seen something similar before, and the thought of it happening again left a chill in his gut.

His last team had run into a masked ninja that had performed some sort of genjutsu on them. It had driven them mad, and Hiroto, the only one to resist it, had watched in horror as they butchered each other. If they had not been as violent towards one another as they had been towards him, he would have died that day. The worst part had been the masked ninja's comment, '_that didn't go as expected.' _He had sounded like a researcher observing mice in his lab.

These two had the same look in their eyes as his old team, one of bloodlust and immense cruelty. Hiroto gave one a flying knee to the forehead and the other an elbow drop to the base of his skull. He shouldn't have been able to drop them so quick, but like his old team under that genjutsu, their reactions were somewhat sluggish. After knocking them out he collected the scrolls they had used to store the now bare library's knowledge.

When he made his way back outside, the sights that greeted him were horrifying. Kumo shinobi had gone mad with bloodlust and were meting out death in cruelly creative ways.

He saw more than one Sakibou child missing an arm or leg, some still screaming as they bled to death from their stumps. He saw one man whose eye's had been carefully extracted from the sockets and left to dangle from intact optic nerves. The worst one was a young woman who'd been stuffed with chunks of her fellow clan members' flesh until she choked.

Hiroto didn't realize he was running until nearly a minute later. He had veered down a less used path through some trees to escape the hellish sights and sounds.

He pulled to a stop to get his bearings, and through his ragged breathing he heard voices.

"Ren... I said GO!" a woman's voice called out.

Hiroto heard the scuffling of running feet, then pursuit, followed by someone falling.

"Oh dear," he heard the woman say, "You need to be careful running on these mountain paths. You could trip and hurt yourself."

"You BITCH!" a man yelled.

Hiroto hurried down the path as the sound of fighting broke out. He came around a bend in time to see a slender woman with wild golden hair gut a man with the kunai he was still holding. Another man was buried under what looked like a mountain lion giving off muffled screams. The last one tried to bowl the woman over, but caught Hiroto's kunai in his temple and dropped like a sack of rocks. Hiroto looked down at his hand like it had betrayed him. His instinct to protect others from the depravity he had seen had gotten the better of him.

The woman turned to him, her eyes wide at seeing one Kumo shinobi kill another in her defense. Then she doubled over in pain. The mountain lion, finished with its savage business, padded over and gently nudged her on the cheek.

"I won't make it..." she gritted out. Her luminous gold eyes shot up to capture Hiroto's, "Your aura has no taint... I do not know what has come over your people for them to kill in such despicable ways, but you are free of it."

"I...I...what?" was all he could come up with.

She managed to stand, and he saw what was killing her. Her whole front was covered in blood from a wound in her belly. She threw herself at him, and would have fallen had he not caught her.

"You have committed a grievous sin against your village," she whispered hoarsely, her hands gripping his shoulders like twin vices, "You cannot go back there. You helped in this atrocity... but also tried to save me."

"I... I don't..."

"Atone for your wrongs, former Kumo shinobi," she gasped out with tears clouding her eyes, "You could not save me, but you may still be able to salvage a remnant of my clan. Follow my children... protect them... please..."

As she slipped to the ground, she repeated that last word over and over. Her cat began to shrink from its massive size down to a gold furred house cat. It lay by her as she breathed her last and seemingly joined her in death.

A moment later, Hiroto snapped from his paralysis.

What she had said had hit very close to the mark. He had killed a fellow shinobi in defense of a declared enemy. His borderline traitorous thoughts had quickly escalated into overtly traitorous action. He could not return to Kumo, and he felt a growing disgust for his own part in this travesty. He resolved to do as the woman asked. That, at least, might allow him to wash away some of the guilt that was beginning to weigh him down.

He took off down the path and burst from the tree line to see a girl caught by the hair in the hands of another of his crazed fellows. He quickly surmised, despite the difference in appearance, that this was the woman's daughter. He bolted in and sliced his kunai through her black hair, then planted the thing in her assailant's heart while he was still surprised. He looked down to see her staring at him in a stupor.

Go damnit!" he growled, irritated by her inaction, "More will be coming."

XxXxXxXxX

Tailing the Sakibou girl proved to be more of a challenge than Hiroto had first thought it would be.

The girl was good. Really good. She used her black cat as a scout to check the route ahead, three times avoiding Kumo patrols, and continued to watch for pursuit behind her.

Once out of the Land of Lightning, she was less cautious, and began using the roads. He had a scare when bandits accosted her, but she managed to disable them while still feeding her baby brother with a bottle. Hiroto seriously wondered if she even needed protection.

The days of solitude had given him plenty of time to think, and he did not like where his mind went. Many nights he woke from terrible nightmares where the severed arms of children held him down so their wailing heads could feast on his guts. His sketch pad was soon full of the terrible things he had seen. He looked through it every day, refusing to forget the awful things he had helped make happen. Before long, he had removed his hitai-ate, but couldn't bring himself to mar or discard it.

On one such restless night, he found himself looking through the names on the Summoning Scroll he had pilfered. It wasn't nearly a full list of the Sakibou clan, but it somehow helped him to know the names of a few of the people who died that terrible night. When he reached the end, he stared long and hard at the blank space for new names. Without really thinking, he pricked his finger and signed his name. About an hour of practice later, a small gray tabby with amber eyes sat before Hiroto looking at him with far more intelligence than a normal animal.

"You don't look like a Sakibou..." the cat suspiciously noted.

"I am not," Hiroto confirmed, "The Sakibou... have been wiped out," the misery in his voice must have been apparent, because the cat didn't even seem to question his statement.

The cat's eyes narrowed, "And how did you come to hold our scroll?"

"I was able to flee with it in the confusion of the fight," he answered, truthfully enough, "I am Ryouko Hiroto."

"Well this is rather troublesome..." the cat complained, "The scroll must be protected at all costs. Unlike those damn toads, we cannot keep it."

Hiroto didn't really understand all of that, but he understood that the scroll needed to be kept out of the wrong hands. He was sure this little tabby was only one of the smallest representatives of the Cat summons. His father had told him that, of the various summoning jutsu scrolls, cats ranked on the second tier of power just under toads, slugs, and snakes.

"I will protect your Scroll," Hiroto offered. Why not? The power it offered would more than make up for the responsibility.

"Hmmmmm... I'm not sure," the cat groused, "You did technically steal it."

"Better me, than those that destroyed the Sakibou," the partial lie almost stuck in his throat, but he figured it was pretty much true. The Scroll was better off with him.

"You make a fair point, Hiroto-san," the cat said thoughtfully, "Very well. You may hold the Scroll. In return for protecting it, I will give you three of my best fighters to aid you when you have need. Fair deal?"

"Errrr," Hiroto said, confused, "_You_ will?"

"Of course," the cat said rather indignantly, "I _am _the Cat Boss, Toraneko... Not all the bosses are the size of buildings like that fatass, Gamabunta... stupid toad."

"Well alright," Hiroto agreed, "You said three of your best?"

"Sure thing," Toraneko answered cheerfully, "The twins, Oodora and Kodora, and their sister, Mouko. They should come the next time you call. I'll warn you, though; they are... competitive with one another. Well then... bye."

With that, the cat disappeared in a poof of smoke before Hiroto could pose anymore questions.

He performed the summoning again and, true to his word, Toraneko sent three mighty tigers. Two were the normal orange and black striped pattern of their species, but looked indentical to one another, right down to their mismatched green and blue eyes. The only difference Hiroto could see was a very slight size discrepancy. The third was smaller than the other two, and had pure white fur between her black stripes and a set of deep violet eyes. All of them were huge by any standard, however. The smallest was the size of a horse, and the twins stood over a foot taller than Hiroto at the shoulder.

"You must be Hiroto-san," the white one said in a feminine voice that somehow didn't seem at odds with her fierce appearance, "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Mouko and these are my brothers Kodora and Oodora."

Before Hiroto could get a word out, the larger of the twins began to whine, "Why does he get introduced first," though the voice was deep and masculine, the tone was rather childish. Hiroto found it somewhat amusing.

"Because I'm older, idiot," the slightly smaller Kodora told him in a similar voice.

"You're only older by a few minutes." Oodora turned to his brother baring his teeth menacingly, "And don't call me an idiot,"

"Or what?" his twin asked beligerently, "Idiot," he added.

The two great cats were suddenly rolling about in a giant ball of fur and fury. They rolled towards their sister who neatly sidestepped them.

"I apologize for my brothers," she said in an exasperated voice, "I assure you we are quite capable in combat."

Hiroto smiled for the first time in weeks, "I do not doubt it, Mouko-san. It is good to meet all of you. I will call again when I have need."

The tiger inclined her head respectfully and the three of them vanished in puffs of smoke. After that, Hiroto was able to sleep the rest of the night without being plagued by disturbing visions.

The following week saw the safe arrival of his charges into Konoha. He fretted for their safety after passing through the gates, but could not just follow them in. After a few moments, a plan formed in his mind. He realized that it might mean his death, but he refused to trust his charges to the kindness of strangers.

He approached the gate as an envoy from Kumogakure, and soon found himself before the Hokage.

XxXxXxXxX

The Hokage shook his head in disbelief. He doubted the man before him was lying, but for two hundred shinobi to suddenly turn savage was unbelievable. During a protracted war, Sarutobi had seen a few people do some very nasty things, but not on the level Hiroto had described.

"What is it you want exactly?" Sarutobi asked.

"I ask only for their protection, Hokage-sama," Hiroto answered, "I was charged with that task by their mother, but I have committed serious crimes and do not expect to leave this tower a free man."

Hiroto slung the great scroll off of his back and placed it on the floor, "This is the Cat Summoning Scroll. I would ask that it be given to a worthy guardian... Ren preferably."

He then removed a pair of much smaller scrolls from his belt and placed them on the old man's desk, "These contain the entire contents of the Sakibou library. They should be returned to their rightful owners."

This man's altruistic streak was a mile wide. Not only had he escorted the Sakibou children to Konoha, but had entered the village himself to corroborate their story, essentially turn himself in, and return their stolen knowledge.

The Hokage had every right to lock the man up and even execute him or turn him over to Kumo for a bounty. He found himself considering a different option, however.

"I suppose I would need to send you back to Kumo for trial," the Hokage said idly.

"That would be the most diplomatic option," Hiroto offered, his face betraying no hint of fear.

"They would execute you," the Hokage warned.

"As they should... I am a traitor," the man responded immediately.

"That would be easy, wouldn't it," Sarutobi said, slightly mocking.

"W...what do you mean?" Hiroto stuttered, finally flustered by the conversation.

Sarutobi smirked, he had him, "Just let yourself die to make up for the crimes you have committed."

"What else can I do, damnit?!" the man's calm had finally cracked.

"You can do what you swore to," the Hokage answered, "you can watch over and protect Ren and Osamu."

"Osamu..." Hiroto whispered, "So that's the boy's name."

"Will you do it?"

"Is this the punishment that you would place on me?" Hiroto asked. Sarutobi thought he heard the slightest hint of hope in the man's otherwise grim tone.

"It is," the old man answered.

"I will do it," Hiroto proclaimed as he untied him Kumo hitai-ate and tossed it onto the ground, then knelt next to it, "Hokage-sama. So long as you allow me to live, I will serve as silent guardian to Ren and Osamu. So long as they choose to serve Konoha, so too do I."

The Hokage was pleased with the proclamation, but procedures had to be followed. Ren and Osamu had no ties to any village, and he could insert them in clandestinely. Hiroto presented a very different challenge.

"You will be put on a probationary status of one year. During that time, you will be periodically required to participate in interviews with our interrogators. Should you prove to be forthcoming and loyal, you will be allowed to apply for citizenship," the Hokage explained, "At that point, you may also apply for entrance into the Shinobi Corps. I hope you will. We could use your skills."

Hiroto stood, "I will do as you say."

With that, he was escorted by ANBU to obtain quarters within the village.

The Hokage was gambling with the three newcomers, but he believed that his gamble would pay off. The intel Hiroto could provide on Kumo would be invaluable, and he didn't doubt that Ren and her brother would grow to be assets to the village as well. In the end, the risk of taking them in was rather negligible, anyway. Hiroto could be disowned at any time, and the last Sakibou were easily hidden from those that would harm them.

The Hokage seriously hoped none of that would be necessary.


	3. New Ties

A/N: Seems like these damn chapters keep getting longer. Might need to reign that in. When I conceived this idea, I knew the story would be long, but I am only starting to realize the scope of what I have begun. Maybe I should have just gone with a silly ass sequel to Jones and James Most Excellent Adventure. Ah well. Nothing worth doing is easy or short.

* * *

It had been one long year of constantly being watched, of talking with the head of T&I. One long arduous year of never ending scrutiny, then another six months of red tape while his citizenship applications were processed.

It was enough to drive anyone mad, but Hiroto persevered. This was the only haven he would find. Not that he really wanted a haven. He would have been happy to let the oblivion of death wash away his guilt... and the nightmares.

They were here, though, and he had promised to protect them. He did so from a distance. Quietly fearing the girl would condemn him for his role in the death of her family and clan.

Today, though... today was good. He missed dearly the sense of belonging that he had left behind. He hoped as a citizen of Konoha he could find that again.

He was currently waiting outside of the Hokage's office, as final concerns about his application were heard. Most of them were from members of the civilian council that helped to govern the village, but the Hokage had final authority in the matter.

After about an hour, he was invited in to plead his case and hear the final verdict. He noted a few sour faces amongst the witnesses, and was surprised to see two very important clan leaders present as well: Hyuga Hiashi and Inuzuka Tsume. He suddenly wished he had worn something better than his normal gray attire. Old habits died hard, though.

"Ryouko Hiroto," the Hokage began in a formal tone, "You have filed an application for citizenship with Konaha. An unusual request considering your birthplace and previous ties. Before I decide, a few concerned individuals have some questions."

Now Hiroto understood the clan leaders' presence. Unlike the civilian council, the shinobi clan council could override the Hokage with enough votes. Their civilian supporters had most likely put pressure on these two clans to forward their own concerns. Hiroto hated politics, but he would suffer through this. It was just another part of his penance.

"Ryouko-san," the Hyuga patron started, "I am Hyuga Hiashi, leader of the Hyuga clan."

"It is an honor to meat you Hyuga-sama," Hiroto replied formally with a bow.

"Least he does the song and dance well, eh Hiashi" his counterpart commented gruffly, "I'm Tsume, leader of the Inuzuka."

Hiroto hesitated at her brash and disrespectful manner, but decided strong deference to her was a bad idea, "No song and dance, she-wolf. I just know how to address my betters."

A dead silence followed his remark. It was broken by the sudden and hearty laughter of the she-wolf herself. Hiroto was pleased by her good humor. The laughter trickled out, but a lopsided grin remained on her face.

"I like this one, Sarutobi," she said to the Hokage, "He's got balls of steal."

The Hyuga patron seemed unamused, but otherwise unaffected by Hiroto's comment to his peer. He looked ready to have this business over.

"Ryouko-san, why did you leave Kumogakure?" he asked, fixing his piercing gaze on Hiroto.

The former Kumo ninja met the gaze unflinchingly, "There was a severe difference of ideals that could not be reconciled."

"You expect something different here in Konoha?" Tsume interjected.

"I have already seen the difference," Hiroto answered with conviction.

"You have other reasons for being here, do you not?" Hiashi almost accused.

"I do," Hiroto answered honestly, "There are people here I swore to protect. They have chosen to serve Konoha, and so I serve Konoha."

"Why did you swear to protect these people?" the Hyuga leader went on.

"To repent for the sins I committed against them."

"What sins were those?"

Hiroto met the man's gaze with a fierce one of his own, "None of your business."

That took the whole group by surprise. Even the Hokage.

Some of the civilian representatives looked about ready to pop for Hiroto's temerity, but were stopped dead by a chuckle. Not from Tsume, but from Hiashi himself.

"You are bold," the man said, "Indeed, those sins are not my business. The Hokage never would have let you get this far had he believed otherwise."

He turned to the Hokage, "I have no further concerns, Hokage-sama."

He looked to Tsume who simply shrugged, "He had me at she-wolf."

"Very well, then," the Hokage said as he stood, "Ryouko Hiroto, you are henceforth a citizen of Konoha, with all of the benefits and responsibilities that come with it. Would you like to say anything before we disperse?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Hiroto answered, "I would like to formally request entry into your Shinobi Corps."

"Very well," the Hokage sounded pleased, "You will be tested one week from today for your aptitude. Dismissed."

A few of the civilians seemed about to protest this, until a spike of killing intent washed over them. Hiashi raked them with his unnerving gaze and said, "Any citizen of Konoha may become a shinobi provided they meet the requirements."

Finding no arguments forthcoming, Hiroto bowed and left.

XxXxXxXxX

Ren looked at her home with pride. She had managed to get the place cheap, but had a hell of a time finding labor to fix it up. The Village clerk had scoffed at her request to buy a four acre estate in the south-eastern district of Konoha that had been severely damaged by the Kyuubi. After she had produced the Hokage's writ, he had changed his tune. He was having so much trouble getting people to resettle the area, and he was more than happy to haggle with her over the already low price. She walked out after talking the man down to 200,000 ryo.

The place was a steal at that price. It already had a large home, though it had been partially destroyed. She set about finding laborers to repair the damage, but few would come for fear of malevolent spirits. Finally fed up, she talked a few imps into causing a little havoc that she could then put a stop to. The villagers began calling her an exorcist and a priestess.

After one or two 'exorcisms' she managed to talk people into working for her. As time went on, she found herself petitioned more and more for her talents, and soon she had a decent business 'exorcising' evil spirits. It gave her an excellent cover for gathering the information the Hokage required.

She found herself smiling; something she had rarely done over the past year and a half. She almost felt guilty for not being sad, but couldn't get rid of the feeling.

Her brother playing with his kitten in the grass didn't help. They were both clumsily rolling about, with the kitten purring loudly and Osamu giggling incessantly. She took some pride in him, too. He was already trying to walk, and his babbling was beginning to sound like words from time to time. His eyes had settled from the light gold of his birth to a deep amber, and his hair was coming in as black as her own and just as straight. She kept it cut short after his kitten kept getting tangled in it.

"Well ain't that something," a female voice declared gruffly, "Someone _is_ living here."

Ren turned toward the street to a see a stout woman supported by a pair of crutches looking at her home. She was broad shouldered for her gender, with heavily muscled arms. Her curly hair was a honey brown and allowed to hang loose down past her shoulders and framed a kind but blocky face. She had eyes as green as the leaves that hid the village and they held a fire and vigor that denied her infirmity. Her legs seemed frozen below her, twitching from time to time. As if to mock her own condition, she wore a white sleeveless gi like she was going to, or coming from, training. She hobbled closer to Ren using her crutches as extra legs.

"And where are your parents, my dear," she asked, "village is safe enough, but a pretty thing like you might get someone lusting."

Ren blushed at the comment, but bowed deeply to the woman, "I am Sakibou Ren. I am the eldest in my family."

The woman's eyes saddened at that, "Orphans, eh? Too many of those about. Almost made one of my son during the attack. I am Shoudou Mayu. You can call me Mayu if you like, Ren-chan."

"Thank you Mayu-san," Ren tried a little cautiously.

"And who is that little bundle of energy?" Mayu said as she watched Osamu with amusement in her eyes, "He looks to be a handful."

"That is my baby brother, Osamu," Ren said, a bit of pride seeping into her voice.

"You're raising the boy yourself?" Mayu asked, but without an ounce of mockery and just a touch of worry.

"I... I am doing my best," she said, a bit surprised by the woman's concern.

"Well he's lucky to have you, my dear," Mayu said evenly, "Say, would you like to bring him to meet my son? There aren't many boys in the neighborhood, and little Hotaka could use a friend. I'll make you dinner."

Ren perked up at that. She could cook, but it tended to be bland. It would be nice to have someone else do it.

"I would love to, Mayu-san!" she exclaimed happily, "Osa-kun, would you like to make a friend?"

"GAHHH!" was her brother's answer.

She gathered him up and shooed his kitten up the step to the door, "Zuki, look after the house and take care of the kitten."

Zuki, who was sunning himself on their porch, just browwed and rolled over.

XxXxXxXxX

Mayu had a cozy little home not too far away. It seemed her house had always been in this area since before the Kyuubi's attack, and she refused to let superstition move her. From inside, the sound of someone yelling could be heard. The noise grew louder until the front door flew open, revealing the source of the sound to be a black haired girl around Ren's age in a black tee-shirt and shorts.

"GET HIM OFF!" she wailed, "MAYU! GET YOUR LITTLE MONSTER OFF ME!"

As she screamed she danced around reaching for something on her back. As she turned, Ren saw the source of her distress. A toddler with brown hair and bright blue eyes, presumably Mayu's boy, had clamped his hands into the girls hair. He seemed to be enjoying the ride and was laughing happily.

Mayu, laughing the whole way to her door, hobbled up to the distressed babysitter, "Stand still Anko. I can't grab him with you prancing about like that."

After a few minutes, the boy was disentangled from Anko, who then grabbed him by the ankles and began to swing him back and forth. This seemed to delight the boy even more.

"Laugh all you want, you little beast," Anko growled, "I'm in control now."

"Ren, this is Mitarashi Anko," Mayu introduced, "The monster is my son, Hotaka. Anko, Sakibou Ren."

Ren bowed to the girl, but Anko answered with rasberry.

"Don't give me that formal crap," the girl said, "And call me Anko. Nice to meet ya, Ren"

The last word was screamed as Hiroto somehow managed to get a hold of her hair again. He was tugging on it furiously.

"WHY IS HE SO STRONG!?"

Eventually they managed to break the boy's grip, and he was introduced to Osamu. The two babbled at each other and began stacking blocks in a pen set up in the kitchen.

"Can't be chasing after the boy," Mayu explained the arrangement, "Can't walk yet, but he crawls faster than a cockroach."

"Guess you can go on home now, Anko," Mayu told the girl, "They'll have your money at Ops."

"Errr," the girl replied, "You sure you don't need help with dinner?"

"Wasted all your mission money on dango again, huh?" Mayu asked casually. Anko had to decency to look a little ashamed, "You can stay for dinner if you want."

Mayu's kitchen was heavily modified. A circular counter sat in the middle. Atop it was a stove, sink, miniature oven, and cutting board. Mayu was currently retrieving ingredients, pots, and pans from the cabinets and a fridge built into the outside of the counter. After piling all of it near the stove, she hobbled around and entered into a hollow in the center of the set-up. She set her crutches to the side, and began to cook. She simply used her strong arms to turn her to whatever task needed her attention.

"Amazing isn't she?" Anko whispered to Ren, "She was paralyzed during the Kyuubi attack... protecting me. They were able to repair some of the damage, but all she can do with her legs is stand."

Ren was indeed amazed. The woman obviously had difficulty, but refused to bow to her infirmity. Instead she modified her kitchen to allow her to cook unhindered. Anko, despite her promise of help, dragged Ren out of the kitchen and showed her the rest of the house. It had all been made to allow Mayu to live normally.

"How did she protect you?" Ren asked.

"Let's just say that I was a stupid child, and she payed the price for my stupidity," Anko answered.

Dinner was delicious, and the company was wonderful. Anko and Mayu had an informal manner that put Ren at ease, and soon she was laughing as easily as they did.

After the meal, Anko chose to clean the dishes, while Ren cleaned up the two toddlers, who were wearing as much food as they ate. Anko was adamant in her belief that Hotaka had it out for her.

"The little monster is trying to kill me," she proclaimed as she scrubbed a pan, "He just isn't big enough to finish the job yet."

When they were done, they sat and talked for a while longer as the boys played. When Osamu yawned, Ren took that as a cue to go.

"I think my brother needs to sleep," she said.

"Wish mine would wind down like that," Mayu said, "He just goes till he passes out."

"Say goodbye to your friend, Osa-kun," Ren told her brother as she picked him up, "We can visit him again soon."

"F..Fend," Osamu said sleepily, to Ren's surprise.

Hotaka liked the sound of that, and began to chant it, "FEND, FEND, FEND!"

"Well I'll be damned!" Mayu exclaimed, "My boy's first word."

XxXxXxXxX

Hiroto had gone through the motions of various written and practical tests with the chunin at Konoha's academy. They all came to the same conclusion as his last time at one of these institutions; he was an average shinobi in just about every way. Soon though, he was standing in front of not one, but two jonin and two chunin in an open field interspersed with a few trees. A jonin with grey hair, a mask, and his hitai-ate covering his left eye stepped forward.

"Well, then," then man drawled lazily, "You seem to be passable enough to enter our ranks, but the Hokage asked that we test you to see if you meet the standards for a Leaf chunin. I am Hatake Kakashi."

"Yuhi Kurenai," the female chunin with deep red eyes introduced herself.

"Maito Gai," the other chunin, who was wearing green spandex and had the most awful bowl cut, yelled with his fist in the air.

"Sarutobi Asuma," the other jonin, a man lighting up a cigarette offered, the stubble of an emerging beard gracing his cheeks.

"I am Ryouko Hiroto," the former Kumo shinobi offered in return with a small bow, "I am honored that so many would participate in this exercise. I actually recognize all of you by name, and Asuma-san from his bingo book picture."

"Do you now?" Asuma laughed.

"Thirty five million ryo would catch anyone's attention," Hiroto jokingly answered.

"Well then," Kakashi interrupted, before Asuma's head pushed them out of the training field, "These three will be observing the two of us spar. Use any and all skills and tools you deem necessary."

"Are you sure, my friend," Hiroto lightly mocked, "I could hurt you that way."

Kakashi gave a smile, or at least what seemed like one from the visible parts of his face, "I wouldn't worry about that. Your only goal is to last as long as you can."

Without any preamble Kakashi rushed Hiroto. The newest leaf shinobi had figure that would happen, and spun to his left to avoid the direct attack. Kakashi had predicted his move and was already swiping out with a held kunai.

Hiroto ended his spin by throwing his butt out, narrowly avoiding the slicing blade. The jonin stopped his forward momentum and, spinning low, swept his leg out to catch his opponent while he was unbalanced by the desperate dodge. He found Hiroto surprisingly stable and ready, as the man lifted his leading foot over the sweep and tried to stomp down on Kakashi's passing leg. Seeing no other recourse, Kakashi broke engagement and backed off.

"You're better than your test scores indicate," Kakashi complimented, "You are amazingly fast."

"A man's true worth in battle can only be tested in battle, Kakashi-san," Hiroto offered in explanation.

That brought a whoop from Gai, who began babbling loudly about the power of youth, much to the chagrin of his fellow watchers, but the over eager martial artist was soon drowned out by the continued battle.

This time Hiroto initiated the clash. He came in low, aiming a kick at Kakashi's knee. Kakashi simply moved his leading leg back to avoid the strike, only to have to lean as far back as his balance and flexibility would allow to dodge a kunai flying at his face.

He caught a glimpse of Hiroto preforming hand seals as he straightened and attempted another step back to give himself room to dodge. His foot caught on the results of the ninjutsu, a deformation of the ground. Instead of attempting to regain his balance he threw himself into a backward roll, narrowly avoiding a powerful ax kick from his opponent.

"He shows an excellent grasp of combat tactics," Asuma commented.

"His Taijutsu is simple, but he mixes in his other skills to unbalance his opponent," Gai said excitedly.

Kakashi came out of the roll to block a series of jabs aimed at his upper body. On the last one, he instead grabbed Hiroto's arm and used the momentum of the attack to throw him. Hiroto flipped mid air and managed a skidding landing on his feet. The two faced off, resting a bit after the clash.

"You live up to your reputation, Kakashi-san," Hiroto said, panting a little, "but I won't let this end until I see that other eye of yours."

"You're going to have to do much better than this, then," Kakashi mocked with another veiled smile.

"Alright then."

Hiroto pulled out four kunai and began tossing them high in the air. As they began to come down, he caught and juggled them back up.

Kakashi watched the actions warily, unsure of his opponents intentions. When he caught sight of the hand seals between tosses, he charged. He wasn't sure what sort of jutsu the unpredictable shinobi was planning, but he was sure he should interrupt it.

He wasn't expecting Hiroto to suddenly meet his charge with a kick straight to the chest, somehow managing to keep up his juggling. The impact knocked the wind from Kakashi, but he was able to slow his momentum and reinforce his chest with chakra so as to prevent real damage. Without missing a beat, Hiroto began throwing his kunai, as Kakashi dodged and attempted to regain his breath.

His dodging suddenly stopped as he fell into a hole that had not been there a moment ago. Instead of leaping out, he used a quick jutsu to tunnel further in.

Instead of looking into the hole, Hiroto tossed an explosive tag tied to a kunai in it. The thing blew up, and Hiroto was surprised to find Kakashi hadn't leapt out.

Fearing he had hurt the jonin, Hiroto ran to the hole and peered inside to find it empty. Kakashi burst from the ground behind him and punched out. Hiroto was forced to duck the blow, but was unable to do anything about the follow up kick that sent him tumbling into the hole. Hiroto managed to turn mid fall and caught sight of a red eye with strange marks around the pupil.

Hiroto landed at the bottom of the pit and quickly went through some seals after drawing blood on his thumb. With a poof of smoke his trio of tigers sat around him awaiting orders.

"The target is a grey haired man with mismatched eyes," Hiroto quickly explained, "This is only a test of my abilities. Do not do any real harm to him."

The tigers looked to one another and seemed to shrug. They leapt from the pit before Hiroto, and the aspiring chunin was awarded with a cry of surprise.

"You can summon, too!?" he heard Kakashi say breathlessly.

Hiroto came from the pit to see the jonin dodging the tigers' well concerted attacks. He threw some kunai at the man to keep him on the defensive. Before he could charge, however, he felt a cold point at his throat. Hiroto held his hands out to his sides.

"You truly are deserving of your reputation, Kakashi-san," Hiroto said as the clone the tigers were attacking vanished in a poof of smoke, "How did you do that?"

"I made a clone before our fight," Kakashi explained as he removed the kunai, "I used a replacement technique to swap with it as soon as I saw the tigers. I'll admit I was not expecting the hunting cats."

Hiroto turned to the jonin as the man was covering his sharingan eye. Both bowed, Hiroto a bit deeper, and shook hands.

"So the rumors about your eye are true." Hiroto mused, "I never stood a chance did I?"

"The fact that you got him to use it is a testament to your skill," Asuma said walking up, "That was an excellent fight."

"I was impressed you managed to work in a genjutsu with those kunai," Kurenai admitted.

Kakashi stared at her for a moment, "Those weren't real?"

"Nope," answered Hiroto, "I don't like using real kunai just to herd my opponent."

"I should have seen through that," Kakashi said a little confused, "Guess it's time to ramp up my training."

"You were winded and in a desperate situation," Kurenai explained, "Couple that with your expectation of Hiroto actually throwing kunai at you and the vision is as real as it gets. You show an excellent grasp of genjutsu theory."

"Your taijutsu is also very good," Gai piped in, "Simple, but fast and effective."

"A well rounded shinobi," Asuma agreed, "Most tend to be specialized, like Kurenai or Gai here."

"My father once told me that trying to be the best at one thing was a worthy cause, but being decent at everything would carry me farther in life."

"A fine philosophy," Kakashi told him, "Come on, let's get something to eat. The sharingan drains me, and Asuma can make the report."

"I lost, I'll buy," Hiroto offered.

Asuma was left alone on the training field as the others walked off to find a place to eat.

"How the hell did I get saddled with the report?" He grumbled.

XxXxXxXxX

The Hokage mulled over his son's report, "That impressed, were you?"

"Yes," Asuma replied, "I recommend he be given the rank of chunin, and pending performance in actual missions, be considered for jonin as soon as possible. I believe Kakashi agrees."

"Well, I will get him to work immediately," the Hokage smiled, "What do you think of him personally?"

"He is both friendly and respectful," Asuma granted, "but... can he really be trusted?"

His father tossed him a hitai-ate, "Take that to him and see for yourself."

XxXxXxXxX

Like many single shinobi, Hiroto lived in one of the many apartments scattered across Konoha. Even without knowing the room number, Asuma was able to find the apartment due to some rather obscene graffiti. 'Go home, Kumo scum' 'traitor' and 'get out' were just a few of the epithets scrawled on the door. Knocking earned him a rather worrisome, and somewhat humorous, reply.

"Go away you punks!" he heard the angry yell, "You know ANBU still watches me."

At the last word the door flew open to reveal a shirtless, and by the smell slightly inebriated, Hiroto. Asuma couldn't help but note a few odd scars on his junior's chest.

"Well I'll be damned," he said, surprised, "My apologies. Come in. Come in."

Asuma entered and was met with the sight of beer bottles... everywhere.

Where there weren't empty bottles, there were stacks of what looked like sketch paper. Asuma picked up a sheet and was disturbed by the drawing on it: a boy, screaming in agony as he held the stump of his right arm.

"I... uhhh," Asuma didn't know where to start now.

"That was the first one I saw," Hiroto told him from over his shoulder, his voice haunted, "Not the last, though. There were so many... too many. Not dead either, just maimed. Cruelly maimed and left to die in agony."

Asuma couldn't form a reply and instead grabbed another sheet. This one had a woman using someone as support from the supporter's view. Her eyes held pain and despair.

"I never knew her name..." Hiroto lamented, the alcohol loosening his tongue, "She died in my arms, and I never knew her name. I killed a comrade to try to save her... It was almost instinctive."

"What happened in those mountains, Hiroto-san?" Asuma whispered in awe as he went through more grisly sketches, each as bad or worse than the first, "What did Kumo do to make you leave?"

And so Asuma became the second man in Konoha to hear Hiroto's tale of horror. An hour or so later found Asuma a few beers in, feeling the need for them to calm his nerves.

"Why?" Asuma asked, overwhelmed, "Why did Kumo do it?"

"Why else?" Hiroto countered, "Power. I could understand that. I didn't agree with it, but the Raikage had ordered it. What made me leave was the carnage. I can kill a man and deal with the guilt, but it will be quick and clean. Not...that," he waved a hand at the stack of sketches in front of Asuma.

Asuma nodded. The life of a shinobi was a life in the shadows, and one had to get dirty... a lot. What Hiroto described, however, was the vilest thing he had ever heard. He found himself agreeing with Hiroto's decision to abandon his village.

"I asked my father why he trusted you," Asuma admitted, "Now I think I understand the old man's game here."

"Oh yea?" Hiroto asked.

"Don't let that codger fool you," Asuma warned, "He is crafty and will do anything to help and protect this village. That includes manipulating and using others. He is using this to ensure your loyalty."

"I gathered that much," Hiroto admitted, "That's why I trust him. I know he is looking out for what's best for this village. So long as I can keep my promise, I will serve faithfully."

Asuma nodded and got up to leave. Before walking out the door, he tossed Hiroto his new Hitai-ate.

"You are a chunin of Konohagakure now," Asuma told him, "You can start taking missions tomorrow."

Asuma left, haunted by the images Hiroto had given him.

XxXxXxXxX

The next year had Hiroto doing all of the shit missions. Guard duty, construction, sewer inspection. He would complete one job after another, each one worse than the last. He accepted it all without complaint. He still suffered from nightmares and found sleep hard to come by. He would finish his missions for the day and then throw himself into his own brutal training regimen. Only when exhausted from it did he find sleep.

Over time, the missions stopped being so bad, but the mistrust he felt from his fellow shinobi seemed to linger. He didn't mind so much. He understood their misgivings, after all. He just took it all in stride with a quiet calm.

Two and a half years from his arrival, the Hokage called him to his office.

"I finally managed to talk the council into giving this back to you, Hiroto-san," the Hokage place his hand on the massive Cat Summoning Scroll, "Toraneko was not pleased to find it was in my hands."

"You spoke with the cat boss?" Hiroto inquired.

"My personal summon inhabits the same realm as the cats," Sarutobi explained, "Messages were passed. Toraneko demanded that, as the scrolls official guardian, it be put back in your care."

The thought of the little tabby berating the Hokage brought a smirk to Hiroto's face.

"As for the collected knowledge of the Sakibou clan..." the Hokage paused when he saw Hiroto tense, "She still doesn't know you are here, does she?"

Hiroto had avoided any and all direct contact with Ren. He checked up on her and her brother regularly, but always clandestinely. An irrational sense of dread gripped him around the girl and Osamu, and he could not bring himself to go before them despite a burning desire to throw his worthless hide before her for judgment.

Instead of explaining all that, Hiroto simply said, "No, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage sighed, "Then your mission today is to return these to their rightful owners."

The Hokage tossed the two storage scrolls to Hiroto. He caught them, bowed, and turned on his heel to get away from the old man before his panic bubbled over.

XxXxXxXxX

Ren couldn't help but wonder if it had been a bad idea to agree to watch her friends' children.

Mayu had introduced her to Hibaku Natsumi shortly after their own meeting, and Ren had immediately liked the woman for her bluntness. Natsumi was disabled like Mayu; she had been a victim of a stroke during child birth. The stubborn woman had managed to regain use of her right arm and most of the right side of her face, but her right leg might as well have been made of wood for all she could move it. She made use of a cane and brace to help her walk, but otherwise lived normally.

Her son, Masaru, had gotten along with Osamu just as easily as Hotaka had. Her son looked almost two years ahead of his peers in growth, and had a set of dazzling sky-blue eyes under a mop of red-blonde hair. Together with Osamu and Hotaka, he completed the 'triumvirate of toddler terror' as Anko liked to call them.

Ren was beginning to agree with her. Both of the older women were at their respective doctors, and Anko was away on a long mission. Ren had offered to watch the boys easily. Now, as she looked for three boys hiding in her large home, she regretted the decision.

Osamu was normally well behaved and easy to deal with. When his friends were about, however, he became rather mischievous. At two and a half years of age, they could all walk and run... and apparently hide. Passing by a window she caught a glimpse of blue, Hotaka's favorite color, enter a small cave.

Ren paled at the thought. That cave housed a mother puma that had been attracted to Ren's land. She could easily tear those boys to shreds. Ren was out the window in an instant and running as fast as she could.

She reached the entrance and dove in without even bothering to look. The sight she was met with filled her with relief and hysterical laughter.

The puma was nursing its cubs while Hotaka chased its tail. Masaru was currently sleeping on her flank, and Osamu was nestled in her front legs while she licked his hair. Upon noticing Ren, the mother puma looked up at her as if to say, 'are these yours?'

Ren gathered the boys as she apologized profusely to the great cat and berated the three toddlers for their rudeness.

Upon exiting the cave she came face to face with Natsumi. Her hair was cropped short and was going over to grey from its natural blonde. Her brown eyes were full of fire, and her right eye twitched slightly in anger. She had her customary frown, and was tapping her good foot amongst the bones of the puma's various kills. She was thin and wiry, but still imposing in her ire. She wore the most ordinary clothing: grey shirt with grey pants and some work boots. Her clothing today, like everyday, was stained with various inks.

"Ren... why are the boys inside the den of a puma?" Natsumi asked in false politeness.

"They uhhh..." Ren was trying to find a good way to word 'They got away from me and decided to hide here.'

"Ren, I have a bum right leg, and can still keep track of my boy," Natsumi scolded, "How in the hell did you lose all three?"

"I'm sorry, Natsumi-san," Ren said, tears forming in her eyes, "I was trying to make them some lunch and they just disappeared."

Natsumi sighed, "Never mind that... Why do you have a hunting cat living on your land?"

"Ren has a way with cats... like those Inuzuka with their mutts," said Mayu as she hobbled up, "Probably has an understanding with that mother in there."

Ren was relieved to see Mayu, and happy to have her support.

"The thing is dangerous," Natsumi growled, "It could have eaten our boys alive."

As if to mock Natsumi's fears. The puma chose that moment to exit her den, the two cubs following. She walking up to Osamu and rubbed her cheek against his and began to purr. Hotaka and Masaru began to play with the cubs. She seemed pleased to have someone to play with them.

"See," Mayu declared, "Would probably kill anything that tried to harm the boys. Besides, Natsu, last time the boys were at your place, they ran off with one of your explosive scrolls and almost managed to set it off."

They had actually managed to set it off, or at least her own oversized son had. Luckily they had taken it from Natsumi's pile of discarded scrolls she had messed up in sealing. The thing had been a dud.

"They did, didn't they?" Natsumi said thoughtfully, "Last time they were at your place, they got a hold of a bunch of kunai and were playing at being ninja."

That had been a terrible mess. When Ren showed up to retrieve her brother, Anko had been smeared with blood and had several small nicks and cuts on her. She seemed oddly proud of her attackers.

The three ladies looked at their boys and silently agreed to drop the subject. This was the least hurt any of the boys had been on their various misadventures.

As they watched the toddlers play Ren began to look around.

"Osa-kun... where is your cat?" she asked, worried that the kitten was causing trouble... again.

"Kitty inside," Osamu told her from the back of the puma.

"Oh no," Ren said just as she heard a crash, "Curse that little hellcat."

XxXxXxXxX

Hiroto had managed to leave the scrolls on the table and was about to sneak out when he came face to face with two cats. He recognized Ren's cat from his black fur. He figured the smaller cat was Osamu's, though he thought it odd that is was still so small. Intel Kumo had on the Sakibou had suggested the cats were selected for a companion at a new member's birth.

"Uhhh..." he said, unsure of what to do, "Good kitties?"

That was when the hissing began. They chased him out of the house, knocking over quite a few things on the way out. He didn't notice that the cats' rush to get at him had knocked the scrolls off the table and under a nearby cupboard.


	4. Future Plans

A/N: Before anyone tries to point it out to me, I know Ebisu hit chunin after Iruka in canon. I needed an uptight ass, and while I don't really have anything against Ebisu, he fits. Minor change, minor character. On a related note, continuity is a bitch to keep track of in longer stories. I think I've read through everything I've got five times now. At least we are nearing the end of part one. A few more chapters and I can start writing the fun stuff... like explosions and fights.

* * *

"Border patrol is supposed to be boring," Hiroto noted to his fellow shinobi, "You know... like a camping trip," he used the humor to cover up his anxiety about the coming bloodshed. Killing hadn't come as easy since _that_ night.

Another leaf shinobi, a freshly minted chunin with a scar across the bridge of his nose, snorted in mild amusement, "Here I was hoping for some easy C-rank pay."

Hiroto and three other Konoha ninja stood in a tight circle with their backs inward. They were all chunin, but had deferred command to the more experienced Ebisu. The man had no idea what to do, however, against the group of twelve or so nukenin of unknown skill and the score of thugs that followed them.

"Alright, Specs," Hiroto said, nudging the man, "We need orders."

"I... I... uh," Ebisu was at a complete loss apparently.

Hiroto sighed, "Alright. Here's what we do. I'm going to create an opening where that big guy is," he nodded toward a huge nukenin with a large club, "As soon as you see it, get out and split up. Stay in pairs and meet up at rendezvous number four. Scar, you're with me."

Before anyone could protest, Hiroto pricked his thumb and ran through the necessary hand seals. The enemy, seeing this, made to attack. They were too late.

"_Kuchiyose: Tora Kagai!_" Hiroto cried, slamming his hand to the ground, "Big guy with the club!"

With a burst of smoke, Hiroto's three tigers launched themselves at the designated target. He was crushed under their combined weight and the tigers vaulted on, tearing a path through the thugs. The Konoha shinobi quickly followed, launching shuriken and kunai to force pursuers back.

"That was awesome!" the scarred chunin, Umino Iruka, crowed to Hiroto as they ran, "I can't believe you can summon. And three tigers no less!"

Hiroto led them away from the other pair as they began to make use of the terrain to lose their pursuers, "Easy, Scar. We're not safe yet."

"Hiroto-san," Mouko said drawing even with her summoner, an amused glint in her eyes, "Having some trouble are we?"

"Good to see you, too," Hiroto replied sarcastically, "I need you to get back to Konoha and bring out reinforcements. One ANBU squad should be sufficient."

"Got it," the white tigress told him as she peeled off.

"What about us?" one of the twins asked from behind. He couldn't tell which.

"I wonder which one of you can bag more thugs," Hiroto mused.

"Ohhhh," the other twin said with relish, "A hunt. I love this job."

XxXxXxX

Kodora waited patiently for his prey to spread out. It wouldn't do for him to be caught and dispelled back to Mikai Jungle. Oodora would never let him hear the end of it. He noted that his enemies had split up into roughly even groups to hunt down the Konoha nin. Kodora thought that was exceedingly foolish. While not his normal stalking grounds, the forests of the Land of Fire were still his kind of terrain. That didn't even account for the shinobi that would be coming back for blood. The foolish nukenin were opening themselves to ambushes by splitting up.

Kodora focused in on a smaller man with holsters of throwing knives. Not the kunai of a shinobi, but still dangerous at a range. The large tiger wouldn't give him the chance to use them.

He saw his target fall back from his group and was about to pounce when the pungent scent of urine reached his nose. He had to suppress a laugh at the fact that this man was about to die just for relieving his bladder.

Kodora kindly waited for the man to finish, then leapt. His bunched muscles launched him silently over thirty feet. He let loose a growl to draw the man's attention at the apex of the jump. The tactic worked, and the man turned, unadulterated fear in his eyes. Kodora was able to easily crush the man's throat. He tore it out for good measure, then let loose a mighty roar to announce his kill.

As he bounded away, he could hear the confused and fearful cries of the rest of his prey and exulted in it as only a predator could.

XxXxXxX

The team had managed to regroup at the rendezvous as planned. Ebisu and his partner had a chance run in with one of the nukenin search parties, but managed to lose them again. They all waited quietly, watching their perimeter, for orders. Instead of glancing to Ebisu, who had been put in command at the start of the patrol, the junior chunins' eyes kept falling on Hiroto.

Hiroto hadn't wanted to step on the man's toes, but the situation called for action. Iruka, the rookie chunin, wasn't making things any better by telling his comrades about Hiroto sending one of his summoned tigers for help, and the other two to harass the enemy. Reminding Ebisu that he had taken even more authority from him. Ebisu was close to being promoted to jonin and could make Hiroto's duties a living hell in the future.

Hiroto had heard three roars in the past four hours. Oodora and Kodora were doing their job well. With any luck, by the time reinforcements arrived, the nukenin and their thugs would be in a state of utter terror. That gave Hiroto an idea, but he would need to take full command.

"Alright boys," he started lightly, "Those bastards got the jump on us, but _we_ gave 'em the slip," he put emphasis on the 'we' to indicate he took no more credit in the escape than anyone else.

"My large furry friends are out there letting them know how we feel about their rather rude attempt on our lives," the jokes were having the intended effect on his fellows. No laughter could be heard, but the men were visibly relaxing a little. Well... two of them were, anyway.

"Mouko, one of my summons, is going for reinforcements," Hiroto told them, "We're looking at about a twenty four hour turn around, though."

This drew some grim nods. Everyone here knew what their duty was. Even Ebisu was listening, though he seemed miffed that he wasn't the one giving the speech.

"We're not sure where the enemy is at the moment," Hiroto went on, "but this is our land, and no one fights amongst the trees like Konoha shinobi."

He could see that he was stoking the fires. The pride he saw in their eyes at his comments heartened him. Despite the angry glare leveled his way, Hiroto could tell even Ebisu wanted another chance at the nukenin.

"We'll split up into two pairs," Hiroto explained, "Specs. Take Silver," Hiroto indicated the white haired chunin that had been attached to them for the patrol.

The indicated shinobi sighed, "My name is Mizuki, Hiroto-san."

"I know, you dolt," Hiroto replied dryly, "It's a code name to make it harder for the enemy to gather intel on us."

"So why is mine 'Silver?'" Mizuki asked a little confused.

"It's descriptive," Hiroto stated, then pointed at each in turn, "You're 'Silver' for your white hair. Iruka is 'Scar' for that lady magnet across his face. Ebisu is 'Specs' for his glasses."

"What should we call you, then?" Ebisu asked sarcastically, "Traitor?"

There it was. Hiroto knew this would happen as soon as he took charge back at the ambush. He quashed his initial spike of anger and gauged the younger chunins' responses. Mizuki seemed interested in the exchange, but Iruka looked rather agitated. Neither seemed to understand why Ebisu would call him that, though.

At their looks, Ebisu began to explain, "It's not common knowledge amongst the lower ranks, but Hiroto here is a defector from Kumo."

Fighting the urge to punch Ebisu in his smug face, Hiroto decided he didn't have time for this, "I left Kumogakure five years ago after killing some fellow shinobi to protect a mother and her children... I was unable to save the mother, but the children are safe."

Iruka blinked in surprise, "You went rogue to save some people you didn't know?"

"In any case," Hiroto went on, waving off the question, "We can't afford this. Ebisu... I understand your antipathy towards me at the moment, but you are obviously inexperienced with these situations. Allow me tactical command until the crisis is past. If you feel that my orders are not in the best interest of the team, countermand me. Otherwise, shut up and let me do my job."

Ebisu gave a tight nod. Hiroto figured he had hit the nail on the head about the man's experience, and was sure Ebisu didn't want to fail this mission or die any more than the rest of them.

"Call me 'Stripes,'" Hiroto explained, not seeing any further protests forthcoming, "We will split into pairs and start hitting their search parties. Try to link up with one of the tigers, but do not engage in any close quarters combat if you can help it. Maintain radio silence except for emergencies. I leave situational discretion in your hands, Specs."

The man nodded, and he and Mizuki took off. When they heard the fourth roar, they angled toward the sound.

"Well, then," Hiroto said brightly as he got to his feet, "What say we remove the rabble from our forest, Scar?"

As they made their way, Iruka suddenly asked, "You really think this thing will help me pick up chicks?"

XxXxXxX

Hiroto sighed in relief as he saw a group of masked ninja descend on his adversaries. It had been a long day, and he was at the very brink of chakra depletion. Iruka had gone over that line already, and despite his admonishments for Hiroto to leave him behind, the former Kumo nin had refused. They had been cornered easily with Iruka moving so slowly, and had been preparing to fight to the death when Hiroto's ordered radio silence had been broken.

"This is Dog responding to a request for aid from border team six," an oddly familiar voice had said, "Flare your location if you are in need of immediate assistance."

Hiroto had already been firing his flare before he heard the order. Not even twenty seconds later, ANBU had shown up. The look of terror on the nukenins' faces had been priceless, but Hiroto had no time to enjoy it.

Pressing the button for his throat mic Hiroto sent out a message, "Specs, this is Stripes. What is your status?"

His anxiety mounted until he heard a crackle of static, then the uptight ninja respond, "This is Specs. We are exhausted, but unharmed. Saw your flare and are heading to your position."

A few minutes later the nukenin and their thugs had been killed or subdued and Ebisu arrived with a haggard looking Mizuki. The ANBU captain approached and looked at the four of them.

"Who is in command," he asked, "I need a report of the current situation."

To Hiroto's great surprise, Ebisu deferred to him, "I am in command of the patrol, but passed tactical command to Hiroto in light of his experience in these situations."

The captain turned to him and ordered, "Report."

Hiroto fell into professional mode automatically, "The enemy surprised us two clicks south of the Fire/Stone border. Their group consisted of approximately twelve shinobi, and twenty non shinobi combatants."

"I believe that at least one of the enemy was a jounin level genjutsu artist," Ebisu interrupted with pertinent information, "Their large group could not have caught us as they did otherwise."

Hiroto nodded his agreement and continued his report, "Surrounded and outnumbered, it was decided that breaking contact was the best option. Using a summoning to distract the enemy, we were able to escape and rendezvous at a different location. I had a tiger send word to Konoha and two others begin harassment of the enemy."

"Mouko arrived twelve hours ago," the ANBU captain offered, "She was exhausted, but otherwise alright. She self-dispelled to rest shortly after delivering her message."

Hiroto nodded his thanks. He had sent Kodora and Oodora back a while ago due to their own exhaustion, and had worried for his third summon.

"After rendezvous, our team split into pairs to join the tigers in harassment operations," Hiroto continued, "We have continued as such until your arrival."

The ANBU nodded his acknowledgment of the report and said, "Good work, men. Get some rest while we find the last of the targets. After you feel up to it, head back to Konoha with the prisoners. My team will be taking over the patrol for the remainder of your time."

Ebisu nodded his assent to the orders, and his team sank to the ground for some much needed rest. The bespectacled chunin regarded Hiroto with a thoughtful look on his face.

"You downplayed your role in this, Hiroto," he said finally, "Why?"

Hiroto thought for a moment, "In Kumo there is a saying. 'A team receives a mission. A team completes a mission.'" he told them, "Konoha has a similar saying. 'We succeed together, or fail apart.'"

"What you mean is..." Iruka broke in, "That your success is the team's success."

"And the team's success," Hiroto added with a grin, "is my success."

XxXxXxX

Ren cradled her little brother as he slept. Though, 'little' was becoming a relative term in recent years. In the five some odd years since his birth, her baby brother had grown to just over three feet tall.

Normally the boy would have shunned such a prolonged display of familial affection with his sister, but they had received rather devastating news that day. It seemed that he had an inability to produce normal, balanced chakra.

At first, Ren had thought the Hyuga doctor had been joking or mistaken. Then, she remembered how seriously that clan took itself. The odds of him joking were none, and he would have double and triple checked such an odd phenomenon. According to him, Osamu produced nothing but Yin chakra when he molded normally.

While Yin chakra was important in the use of certain advanced techniques, Osamu would be incapable of performing even the most basic of ninjutsu or enhance his body to give him an edge in combat. In short, his life as a shinobi was stillborn; dead before it could even start.

Ren blamed herself for the boy's rough reaction to that news. She had used tales of their clan, both true and legendary, as bedtime stories. He had expressed a desire to follow his sister in the way of the shinobi since the age of three, even joining in for her morning exercises; though, he mostly just watched. Now he would be forced to live out his life as a civilian, never able to add to the legacy of proud shinobi their clan had.

She began to go over everything she knew of chakra and its manipulation to see if she could think of some way, any way, she could help her brother. She knew Yin chakra was used in genjutsu and other mind affecting techniques. On the flip side, Yang chakra could be used to cause real changes like altering the body or giving form to something.

Ren hit on an idea. Yoton techniques required one to unbalance their natural chakra, giving it far more physical energy than it would normally contain. If Osamu learned to do this, he might be able to bring his chakra to a normal balanced state. It would be difficult for him with his small body, but he would at least be able to perform the basic jutsu necessary to become a genin.

She carried the boy to his bed, and tucked him in. Tomorrow she would begin training him. She would be damned if she didn't at least give her brother a chance.

XxXxXxX

"What story would you like to hear tonight?" Mayu asked her boy.

She had finally managed to get the hyperactive boy into his bed, and was ready to begin the nightly ritual of lulling him to sleep with tales both true and fantastic. Sometimes he asked for something new, but other times he called for old favorites.

"Can... can you tell me about tou-san?" Hotaka asked tentatively.

Mayu gave her son an appraising look. At five years, he stood at three feet. He was thin for his age, having very little baby fat. His hair had darkened from its honey color to a deeper shade of brown, and his eyes had gone from the bright blue of his birth to his father's gray-blue. He was old enough to ask. Perhaps he was old enough to hear about the man and his death.

"You have his eyes, you know," she told him wistfully, "Those eyes could bore into your soul."

"What was he like?" the boy pressed eagerly.

"He was normally so easy going," she chuckled, "You wouldn't think him to be so serious about his taijutsu. I often saw him doing the craziest things just to get a laugh out of his team."

"Natsumi-obasan told me he made his own style," he said with wonder in his tone.

"Did she now?" Mayu asked rhetorically, "Natsumi would know... She and her late husband were on his team."

"She said he couldn't perfect it till he met you."

Mayu did laugh at that, "She's giving me too much credit, son. He saw me practicing an obscure wind jutsu one day and I couldn't seem to get rid of him after that."

"What was it?"

"Fuyou no Jutsu," she answered, "It lets you float in the air by using wind chakra to support you."

"That is so cool!" Hotaka exclaimed.

"Funny... that's exactly what your father said when he saw it," it felt good to remember those days, "He began picking my brain about how to do it, and, after a lot of hard work, we modified it so you could literally push off of thin air."

"How did that help him finish his style?" Hotaka asked.

"It gave him the last edge he needed against his rival," she told him, "It gave him the ability to attack from, what used to be, impossible angles."

"His rival?"

"Well... Your father was a rival to Maito Gai for the best taijutsu expert in Konoha," she explained, "They both trained under the same master. Eiji was never as strong as Gai-san, but was faster and more flexible. After their master passed away, they had a good-natured competition to see who would succeed his title as Konoha's Master of Taijutsu."

"They had both been trained in Goken," she went on, "It favors power over speed, though. So Gai-san always had the advantage against Eiji. Gai-san, in the spirit of 'youthful' sportsmanship, challenged him to come up with a good alternative for Goken instead of a straight spar. If Konoha adopted it as a standard style, Gai-san would give Eiji the title."

"Your father almost succeeded, too," Mayu said sadly, "the day after he mastered it, the Kyuubi attacked. Your father died defending his village with a style only a day old. He was never able to demonstrate it officially."

"What's it called?" Hotaka asked solemnly.

"He named it Koodorikaze," a tear broke free and fell down her cheek, "In all the help I gave him making it, he somehow won my heart, and we made you. He always said that the style was his second best masterpiece... you were his first."

Now Hotaka was crying a little, "I want to learn it, kaa-san. I want to make dad's dream come true."

She smiled sadly at the boy, "That will be difficult, son. I am the only living practitioner, and my legs do not work. Even if they did, I was never able to master it."

He took on a stubborn look, one she had seen on her late husband's face many times, "He must have left instructional scrolls, and you go tutor taijutsu at the academy. How is this different?"

Mayu sighed, "Because I tutor Goken at the academy and have assistants that can demonstrate for me. I have no one to show you the proper forms for Koodorikaze."

"If I could get the right forms on my own, could you tell me?" he continued stubbornly.

She considered for a long while before finally saying, "You won't back down on this, will you?" at the shake of his head, she was reminded of her late husband refusing to give up working out a seal-less method for hardening the air, "Alright, Hotaka, but I'm going to train you right. Be ready to be up before the sun from now on."

She pushed herself up after seeing the boy's determined nod. She cut the light as she left his room, and wandered off into bittersweet memories of a man that had been stolen from his family far too soon.

XxXxXxX

In another house, not so far away, Masaru huddled over a small sheet of paper. His bright blue eyes focused intently on his work. His hair had taken on a coppery tone, and was allowed to grow quite long. He would either need to cut it or tie it back soon. He stood almost a head taller than his two friends, making him the largest of his generation. There was quiet speculation from villager's that he might be an Akimichi love child. This speculation was done quietly, as no one liked to be on Hibaku Natsumi's bad side.

By the light of a lamp, the young but large boy painstakingly added the last strokes to his work. As he was finishing, the crash of his door flying open caused him to jump and drag his calligraphy brush across the scroll, ruining his work. He looked to the now open portal, frightened to see it had been knocked off its hinges... again.

His mother stood there, her arm still up from where she had punched the door in.

"What did I tell you about staying up late, Masaru?" she questioned her son with a deathly calm.

"B...but, kaa-san..." her frightened son pleaded, "I almost got it."

She stalked into the room, her cane making a light tapping on the floor. She snatched up his latest work and eyed it.

"You call this 'almost?'" she asked sarcastically.

He was already holding the one before it. She could see a large pile of the practice sheets she had given him. She snatched this one, too, and had to admit that the boy didn't 'almost have it.' This one was perfect in every way. She sighed as her anger gave way to wonder. Her son was proving to be every bit the genius his father had been... the bastard.

"Tch... think you got this?" no point in swelling his head, "Go to bed, boy. When you get up tomorrow, I want to see you practicing these till you get a hundred of them perfect."

She saw his draw drop a little, then she hit him with the kicker, "In a row."

She nearly killed the effect by laughing at his pained groan. He got up from his desk and plodded to his bed sullenly.

"Was tou-san really making seals by my age?" he asked.

"Just basic storage, Masaru," she said as she killed the light for him, "Go to sleep."

The finality in her voice quieted the boy. It pained her to do that to him, but she didn't want him to see her cry. It was hard enough to see her husband in him more everyday as he grew. Now he was becoming as obsessed with fuuinjutsu as his father had been.

"Masaru."

"Yea, kaa-san?" he asked cautiously.

"How about you help me build some kits tomorrow?"

"R...really?!"

"It's about time you started learning," she explained, "You still have it in your head to be a shinobi?"

"Of course," he and his friends had said they would graduate the academy together.

She left on that note. She was happy he was just as interested in her craft as he was in her late husband's. Trapping wasn't something many shinobi chose to specialize in.

"If that bastard's gonna have this much influence even after death," she muttered to herself, "It's only right his living mother teach him a thing or two."


	5. Unusual Friendship

A/N: I can't believe this chapter came in under 4000 words, but I have never been one to keep going just for padding. The chapter is done when it's done, no matter how many words it has. I'm not really sure why I decided on this particular meeting of characters, but the idea popped in my head, and I decided to run with it. That's how I write, though; bare outline of a plot in mind. Get an interesting (to me anyway) idea in my head and change the course of the damn plot.

* * *

"The Hokage will see you now," a chunin assistant told Hiroto.

After returning to Konoha, prisoners in tow, his patrol team had gone its separate ways. Ebisu had gone to report to the Hokage since he had lead the patrol, and Mizuki graciously offered to take their prisoners to ANBU head quarters. Hiroto had used his seniority to order Iruka to the hospital to make sure he hadn't burnt out his coils.

That left Hiroto alone with dark thoughts. He had seen what he could have been... a wild dog, on the run from everyone. Even during the ambush where the nukenin had outnumbered them, he had seen a desperate fear in their eyes. He briefly wondered how many of them were like himself. Leaving behind their home because they could not reconcile their beliefs with those of their village.

His thoughts were interrupted when an ANBU wearing a weasel mask appeared from a shunshin to inform him that the Hokage requested his presence. Now here he was, standing before the old man as he packed his pipe full of tobacco.

"I was impressed by Ebisu's report," he paused to light and take a few puffs off the pipe, "I was quite surprised to hear him praise your decisive action."

Hiroto let out a sigh of relief. He had worried that the uptight Ebisu would try to paint him in a bad light.

"I did what needed to be done, Hokage-sama."

"You saved your patrol's lives and then proceeded to keep the nukenin off balance until reinforcements could arrive," Sarutobi summarized, "According to Ebisu, you should be leading these patrols."

"I don't think that's such a good idea..." there were still some lingering trust issues amongst his fellow leaf nin. He didn't really blame them. He knew exactly how he would feel about a traitor from another village being allowed to wear the hitai-ate.

"Hmmm... Well you can't sit back and let others lead forever, Hiroto-san," the Hokage admonished, "You are far too good to be wasted as a grunt."

"I cannot force them to trust me, Hokage-sama," Hiroto countered, "And neither can you."

"True enough. True enough," the Hokage gnawed on his pipe, thinking, "Perhaps if I released the information on your part in the Hyuga Affair two years ago."

"Please do not do that, Hokage-sama," Hiroto pleaded with him, "I have few people to shield me on the council, I would rather not lose my strongest one."

The incident had been a political nightmare. The representative from Kumogakure had attempted to kidnap the eldest daughter of Hyuga Hiashi, managing to kill a few branch members in the process. Some lingering doubt about his old village had Hiroto spying on the man constantly. He did everything he was suppose to be doing up until the attempt.

Hiroto had intercepted the kidnapper, but hadn't stood a chance against him. He had been a jonin, and an experienced one, but Hiroto had delayed long enough for an infuriated Hiashi to arrive and slaughter the poor fool. Hiashi's word that night were burned into his memory, _'You saw nothing tonight. You were not here. This is a Hyuga matter. Know this, though, Ryouko Hiroto: any doubts of your loyalties are washed from my mind.'_

Hiroto shivered at the memory of the man's eyes, filled with fury and grief, so different from his public persona, "No... please do not release that information."

The Hokage shook his head with a small chuckle, "Very well, Hiroto. Earn their trust in whatever way you see fit, but know that I have bigger plans for you. You are dismissed."

Hiroto bowed and left the office. At the base of the tower, a familiar face greeted him.

"Hiroto-senpai," Iruka called to him running up.

"How are you feeling, Iruka-san?" Hiroto asked in a friendly tone, "Clean bill of health?"

"Docs say my coils are fine," Iruka confirmed, "Ordered me to take a few days off, though."

"That's good news," Hiroto told him, and was about to leave. He stopped on impulse, "Say, Iruka-san. How about I buy you a drink to celebrate your first successful mission as a chunin?"

"That sounds great," Iruka smiled, "I know this great bar not far from here."

Hiroto awoke the next day with a mild hangover. It was a far cry from the monstrous ones he normally had from his sketching and drinking binges. Iruka had turned out to be a fun guy to hang around, and had loudly declared to anyone trying to give Hiroto a hard time that the former Kumo nin had saved his life.

Hiroto dragged himself from his bed. He had the day off, but needed to replenish his supplies. The desperate flight and subsequent running battle with the nukenin had depleted his kunai and shuriken.

A quick shower and a little food had him feeling good as new, and he was soon out in the streets meeting the glares of untrusting civilians with a big smile. To his surprise, a fair amount of his fellow shinobi were giving him respectful nods as he passed them. It seemed word of his previous mission had gotten around. He had to wonder how much of a hand the old man had in that.

He was brought from his musings by a blond haired boy careening headlong into him. The boy, no more than five by Hiroto's guess, bounced back and landed on his butt. Hiroto was struck by the odd whisker like marks on his cheeks. He was about to help the kid up, but was interrupted by some angry shouting.

"There it is!" a big man with greasy hair and watery eyes called out, "I found the little monster!"

A couple of younger men, looking somewhat like the first followed him up to Hiroto. He stopped short when he saw who was standing over the target of his obvious ire. The civilian council had made a point of spreading nasty rumors about Hiroto.

"Heh. Look at that, boys," the big guy called to his compatriots, "Looks like the cloud traitor is good for something."

Hiroto allowed a bit of killing intent to leak out. It was the most he could do, though. Attacking a civilian was grounds for immediate dismissal from the ranks and possible execution depending on the circumstances.

"Tell me, then... sir. How have I been of service?" Hiroto asked with cold courtesy, "In the future I'll try to avoid doing it again."

His words coupled with his aura of malice had the intended effect. All three men seemed nervous now. Hiroto noted a small crowd had formed around the incident, and he could see ANBU in positions on nearby buildings. They seemed content to watch for now, though.

"That little beast there," the big man pointed at the kid who was getting to his feet, "set off a bunch of stink bombs in my store."

"That true, kid?" Hiroto looked down at the boy.

The boy looked back, and Hiroto was amazed by the play of emotions that passed through his bright blue eyes. He saw fear and sadness, then defiance and a bit of mischievousness.

"Yea!" the boy shouted, "Well he wouldn't take my money or sell me anything!"

"I got a right to refuse service to anyone!" the greasy shop owner shot back.

"That is true, kid," Hiroto said reluctantly.

"Maybe..." the blonde allowed, "But he didn't have to _throw_ me out."

The emphasis on the word 'throw' indicated there was more than just a bit of rudeness going on. Hiroto looked up at the shop owner with a venomous glare, "What does he mean by 'throw?' You didn't..."

The nervous look the man gave him was all the answer he needed, "You literally threw a child out of your store!?"

"Well the boy is a menace!" the man ran a chubby hand through greasy hair, "You know what he..."

He was interrupted by one of the other men, who whispered in his ear. Hiroto had keen ears and managed to make out the words 'foreigner', 'doesn't know', and 'Hokage's law.'

"What about the damage to my shop? It will take some serious cleaning to get that funk outa my store" the grease ball complained, abandoning his former train of thought, "Who's gonna pay for that?"

Hiroto whipped out his check book. He didn't want to help the guy in any way. Hell... he would have preferred to give each of them a kunai to fill an eye socket. Instead he filled out the check for 50,000 ryo, tore it out, and threw it at the man.

"That's for your damages you piece of shit. If I hear about you abusing children again I will personally slit your throat."

The threat had the man scrambling away after he had retrieved the check. Hiroto saw a couple of the ANBU hop away. He figured they would be reporting to the Hokage about this. He didn't give a damn. Anyone who would treat a child like that deserved far worse than what he threatened.

"You okay, kid?" he asked the blond. When he looked down at the boy, he was met with a look of disbelief, "Ummm... do I have something on my face?"

"No one's ever done something like that for me..." the boy said quietly. The sincerity of that statement had Hiroto on his heels.

Before he could explore the meaning behind the child's words, an ANBU was there.

"Hiroto-san. The Hokage requests your presence," the cat masked woman told him, "You as well, Naruto-kun," she said to the boy.

Questions buzzed through Hiroto's mind as he waited his turn to speak with the Hokage. What was this kid to the old man? Why had so many ANBU been present at the altercation? What was that fat fuck's issue with the boy? Why the hell had a five year old taken precedence over a chunin?

Finally the door opened and the Hokage called him in. The boy, Naruto, was sitting in a chair off to the side looking morose, as if he had been scolded. That just caused Hiroto's curiosity to grow. Why was the Hokage taking time to scold children?

"I have heard from both ANBU and Naruto-kun about the situation," the Hokage began, "I would like to hear your take on this."

"With respect, Hokage-sama," the confused chunin started, "I fail to see why you need to get involved in this. A jonin could have easily determined my punishment for threatening a civilian."

"We'll get to that," the old man promised, "but I am more concerned with the events leading up to your threat."

The day was getting weirder for Hiroto. Now the Hokage was brushing off his subordinate's poor conduct.

He decided to just do as told, "I was of a mind to replenish my gear this morning, so I was headed to a local smith. The kid over there runs headlong into me."

"Sorry about that," Naruto piped in in an embarrassed tone.

"No problem, kid," Hiroto smirked at the boy, "I was pulling pranks and getting in trouble at your age, too."

Hiroto focused back on the Hokage, "Before I can even help Naruto-san up, some ass hat shop owner starts yelling about how the boy set off stink bombs in his shop."

The Hokage held up his hand, "What terms did he use specifically when referring to Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm..." Hiroto had to think for a moment. Long years of being a pariah had taught him to ignore insults, so the specific names directed at Naruto were fuzzy in his memory, "I believe 'beast' and 'monster' were used. I'm not sure if there were others."

"Why do they hate me?" the boy whispered. Hiroto caught it, and looked at him stunned.

"Hate you? What do you mean hate you?" he asked, "Is this common? Has that guy given you problems before?"

"Not him..." the boy seemed unsure of how to handle the questions, "Some people are like that. Most just ignore me, though. They won't say a thing or pretend I'm not there until I leave."

Hiroto just looked questioningly at the Hokage. The chunin figured there was a deeper reason for his presence; he just wasn't sure what it was.

"Naruto-kun..." the Hokage looked at the boy sadly, "Tell Hiroto-san when your birthday is."

"It's October tenth," the blonde said in a confused but subdued tone.

"Isn't that the night..."

"The Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked suddenly," the Hokage answered his unfinished question, "Naruto was not the only orphan made that night, but he was the only child born under the auspice of that tragedy."

Hiroto considered that. Certainly superstition would follow the boy everywhere, but it didn't seem to add up. Surely the people of Konoha weren't so foolish that they would collectively ostracize a child simply because of the poor timing of his birth. As his confusion and suspicion swirled, his eyes were drawn to the obvious scars on the boy's cheeks.

"Naruto-san. How did you get those scars?" Something was nagging at him. Something he saw once while still in Kumogakure.

"Umm," the boy looked as if he was wracking his brain, "I don't remember. Do you know Oji-san?"

"You have had those since the day of your birth, Naruto-kun," the Hokage answered.

The last piece clicked in place for Hiroto. He had once fought beside an unusual member of Kumo who went by the moniker 'B.' During the fighting, B had lost his ever present dark shades, and to Hiroto's surprise, the eye's normally hidden by those glasses hadn't been human. Hiroto later found out about the biju sealed into B and realized that his unusual eyes were a side effect. He didn't doubt the marks on Naruto's cheeks were similar.

When Hiroto turned shocked eyes back to the Hokage, the old man cleared his throat, "Naruto-kun, please wait in the conference room," when the boy gave him a hopeful look he chuckled, "Yes you may sit in my chair."

Naruto ran from the room excited to act like his hero, even in play.

"That boy holds the Kyuubi, doesn't he?" he saw the old man wince at his accusatory tone.

"The beast could not be put down by ordinary means," Sarutobi explained wearily, "The Yondaime sacrificed himself to seal it in Naruto-kun to save our village. The boy should be seen as a hero."

"The boy should be seen as a person," Hiroto declared vehemently, "The way he is treated now, you may want to consider killing him before he grows to hate this place."

The Sandaime stared at his subordinate, aghast at the suggestion, "The boy has done nothing to warrant such measures."

"Yet," Hiroto added coldly, "If you will not grant him some small mercy and put him down, then someone needs to lift him up. Allow the child to continue as he is, and I doubt this village will survive the repercussions."

The Hokage leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, "I have tried so hard to protect him. I have tried to be here for him when I can, but I can only do so much."

"The council holds you back?" Hiroto made a disgusted sound at the old man's weary nod, "Politics. I fucking hate politics."

"What do you suggest, Hiroto-san?"

"I have a duty, Hokage-sama," the plain looking chunin said gravely, "To protect this village... with my life if I have to. I admit that killing an innocent child is disgusting, but is it any worse than the constant psychological torture he goes through daily?"

The Hokage's eyes opened to consider the man. He trusted Hiroto as he would any native of Konoha. In fact, he trusted the former Kumo nin more than some of his 'closest' advisers, "Give the boy a chance. He is stronger than any person I have ever met, and I believe he could grow to be a great man."

Hiroto sighed. The Hokage wasn't even ordering him to stay his hand. The old man was begging him, "I will stay close to him, then. He can at least be shielded some, though I doubt that will do much good in the end."

"You would do this?" the Hokage asked him.

"How can I not?" the bland chunin said quietly, "I have a duty to protect this village and its people. Until the boy turns," he saw the dark look on Sarutobi's face and went on, "If the boy turns, I will do what must be done."

Hiroto left the old man on those words. A short walk down the hall had him at the Hokage's conference room. He paused to school his features and thoughts and to listen in on what the boy was doing. Despite his harsh words, he felt no animosity towards the child. In truth, he was a bit disgusted with the ignorance of the village he had come to call home.

He wouldn't hesitate to slit the boy's throat if he felt that Naruto was slipping into darkness, though. He had seen the power of a jinchuuriki once and knew if Naruto decided to ever turn that power against those that abused him, it would be a complete disaster.

He could here the boy, through the door giving mock orders to imaginary subordinates. He smirked at that. If he could still play like that, there was hope that Hiroto wouldn't have to give the boy a kunai, blade first. He pushed into the room, and laughed aloud at the sight. Naruto had somehow gotten hold of a spare Hokage hat. The thing covered most of his face.

Naruto started at the laugh, "Oji-san?" he asked timidly, lifting the brim so he could see. His eyes grew fearful to see he was alone with the man from earlier.

"It's alright, Naruto-san," Hiroto tried to sound soothing. He wasn't sure it was working, though, "Your oji-san has asked me to escort you home."

The boy looked suspicious, "ANBU-san usually does that," Hiroto wondered if the boy knew there was more than one, "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, either."

"It's alright, Naruto-kun. Hiroto-san is one of my most trusted shinobi," Hiroto managed to stop himself from jumping. The Hokage had managed to slip in behind him undetected, "I have considered your words, Hiroto-san. While harsh, they hold truth. I won't release you from regular duty, but you may do as you see fit."

Hiroto raised an eyebrow, "Whatever I see fit?"

The Hokage surprised him with a smile, "I have no doubt that the worst case scenario will be avoided," he looked at Naruto whose face was screwed up trying to understand the adults' conversation, "He will surprise you."

"We shall see."

"You hungry kid?" It was about midday, and Hiroto was walking beside Naruto as the child led him to his home.

"I have food at my apartment," the blond answered nervously.

The bland chunin frowned, "Well I figured that. I was offering to buy you lunch."

"Wh... why would you do that?" he could tell the boy still had doubts about him, "ANBU-san never does that."

"Well ANBU-san is just doing a job," Hiroto answered with a grin, "I'm offering to be friendly."

"Friendly?"

"Yea... you know." Hiroto said a bit sarcastically, "Kind. Acting in a manner as one would towards a friend."

"You want to be my friend?" the desperate hope in that question had Hiroto wincing.

"Why not?" he asked rhetorically, "I promise I'm a great guy... I'll understand if you aren't interested, though. I mean... I am a lot older than you."

"Nonono!" the boy said frantically, "I want to be friends."

Hiroto was happy to hear that. Earning the boy's trust would go a long way towards keeping him on a good path, "C'mon. There's this great ramen place I know. I go there after all my long missions."

He turned them from their path to take them to his favorite food establishment, and Naruto followed.

"Hiroto-san," he heard the boy say tentatively behind him, "Can you tell me about your missions."

Hiroto laughed, "Sure thing, kid. I just got back from this one on the border. A tightwad named Ebisu was in charge..."

It didn't take long for Hiroto to have Naruto laughing and smiling despite the glares they received. He recounted his previous patrol with as much exaggeration as he could muster. The twelve nukenin had become a hundred, and the score of thugs had become a hoard. He had the boy hanging on his every word by the time they were at the ramen stand, Ichiraku's.

"Welcome back, Hiroto-san," a young teenage girl with brown hair greeted, "Your usual?"

"Sure thing, Ayame-chan," he said distractedly as he lifted Naruto onto a stool, "Start my friend off with a miso."

Ayame smiled warmly at the boy, "Aren't you adorable. What's your name?"

"Naruto," the boy said timidly, but with a smile.

Hiroto sighed in relief. Ayame was old enough to remember the attack, but apparently didn't know the full truth.

"Tou-san!" she shouted, "I need three beefs and a miso."

"Yea, yea," the proprietor said, coming from the back of the little shop. He stopped and stared a moment at his customers.

"Something wrong, Teuchi-san?" Hiroto asked idly, "I brought you a new customer."

Perhaps the ramen chef heard a warning in his voice, or he knew better than to listen to rumors. After his initial surprise he put on a smile, "Good to hear, Hiroto-san. Always happy to have new customers."

Their meal passed without incident as Ayame pestered Naruto. Listening to the boy answer her questions, Hiroto learned quite a bit about the boy. No known family, aspired to be a shinobi, wanted to be Hokage someday... Hiroto logged it all away. The fact he found a bit of irony in was the boy's hero: the fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

As the conversation wound on, Hiroto noticed that Teuchi lost the little hint of worry in his eyes. The chunin was glad to see his measure of the man had been correct. He had, after all, not once mentioned Hiroto's past; though, he must have known. They left with Naruto smiling brightly at his new found haven away from home.

"You want to be a ninja, huh?" Hiroto asked idly as the now energetic blond led him, "That's a tough life."

"That's what Oji-san said," Naruto replied, full of energy, "but, shinobi are the most respected people in the village. The Hokage is the most respected shinobi. When I'm Hokage, everyone will have to respect me and won't be able to throw me out or ignore me."

They weren't the noblest of intentions, but Hiroto supposed that a five year old wasn't much for altruism. He could identify with the sentiment, too. At least he was a fully trained warrior and could subtly bully people into selling to him. Naruto couldn't scare a rabbit.

"Say Naruto-kun," Hiroto interrupted the child's rant about how great a ninja he was going to be, "I could help you get ready for the academy."

"REALLY!?" the ball of energy gushed excitedly, "You would really do that for me, Hiroto-san!?"

"Sure thing, kid," he replied with a small laugh, "After all. Friends help each other, right?"


	6. Deal With a Devil

A/N: I never really got why the entire Uchiha clan had to be killed. I mean kids and all. Is that shit really necessary. It makes since if Itachi actually went bat shit, but since he was actually a 'good guy', killing everyone but his brother made no real sense to me. On that note, why does Sasuke take Tobi's words at face value when he learns the 'truth'. I am under the impression that Uchiha are rather unhinged from reality as a group. In any case, we start to see the signs of coming strife mingled in with the everyday life of the future Team 5.

"So does the seal let him grow like that, or disguise him as a house cat?"

"You've asked me that every day for two years, Masaru. What do I always say?"

Masaru sighed, "You say 'I cannot reveal the secrets of my clan'."

Osamu smiled at his big friend. Of the three of them, Masaru was the tallest and heaviest, coming in at just above four feet. A good portion of his weight was baby fat, and he gave the image of being just a little chubby. He wore a plain tee shirt and set of durable double layered pants that he tucked into his combat boots. The whole ensemble was black to hide the ever present ink stains from his sealing practice. His copper colored hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and his sky blue eyes were currently sizing up their escort, a large black panther with bright green irises.

Osamu was night to Masaru's day. He was the smallest in the trio at just under three and a half feet. He was slender, much like his sister, though his face retained the roundness of youth. He was wearing a deep green shirt and set of dark blue shorts. He had clean white wrappings on his forearms and hands as well as his lower legs and feet. The bandages did not cover his fingers, toes, or heels, and except for the wraps, he was barefoot. His black hair had been trimmed exceedingly close to his scalp, making his head look fuzzy. He too was considering the topic of their conversation with his amber eyes, the pupils mere slits in the bright morning sun of late summer.

"If you can beat me in our run today, I'll show you my heart seal," Osamu offered his seal obsessed friend as a consolation.

"Really!?" Masaru looked determined, "I'll beat you then, tiny!"

"You mean like all the other times?" Osamu asked sarcastically.

"Oh shut up," the larger boy shot back grumpily, "I still don't get how you run so fast with such short legs."

Their conversation dwindled into a comfortable silence as they closed on their destination. They began to hear grunts of effort interspersed with an odd swishing sound. Curious as to what their friend's mother, Mayu, had the aspiring martial artist doing today, they sped up to a light jog.

They passed around the small house Hotaka had grown up in to see their friend doing one handed push-ups. What made the training unusual was the fact that the boy was balanced on the tops of three four foot tall posts with his mother occasionally striking at his supporting arm with a riding crop. Each time the crop came in for a strike, Hotaka would push up hard enough for his upper body to hop over it.

Upon seeing his friends, Hotaka's mother stopped the exercise, "Alright, Hotaka-kun. The layabouts are here. Get 'em sweatin."

Hotaka hopped down from his unusual perch to greet his friends. He was currently shirtless, showing off muscle tone that people twice his age would envy. He was closer to Masaru in height than Osamu at just under four feet. He still wore the pants of his white gi and his sandals. He was rarely seen out of the training garment since he was almost always training. Despite the fact that his normally messy brown hair was plastered to his head with sweat, his gray-blue eyes were filled with eagerness to train with his friends.

"Hey guys," he called, "I figured we'd run to the park this morning and do the 'obstacle course.'"

Osamu and Masaru groaned. The 'obstacle course' was just a normal playground, but the challenge hungry Hotaka had developed an extremely difficult route through it. The process required a great deal of coordination, flexibility, and strength. They could do it, but only with great effort.

"Oh come on," Hotaka teased, "It's not _that _bad."

After a short period of stretching, they took off at a dead sprint for the park. All of them had begun training at the age of five and so completed the mile run just shy of six minutes. As always, Hotaka came in first, but had Masaru and then Osamu hot on his heels.

"Gotta... show me... that seal... now," Masaru panted to Osamu who just waved in agreement.

XxXxXxX

For two years, the council had tried to call Hiroto in to bring up certain concerns. For two years, the Hokage had conveniently put him on out-of-village missions during regular council meetings. The inevitable eventually happened, however; a client had canceled a contract just before Hiroto could deploy. Now he stood waiting to enter the council chamber. He knew what this was about. He would be stupid not to.

Ever since he had taken it upon himself to look out for Uzimaki Naruto, people had become nervous. That was reasonable. He was being chummy with the village jinchuuriki, and he was a defector from a foreign land. A paranoid mind might wonder if he was planning some scheme involving Naruto. Since shinobi, as a rule, were all paranoid, the council had decided to... discuss the issue with him.

He wasn't about to be politically bullied, however. He had developed a reputation as being an extremely unpredictable opponent. This was due, in large part, to his wide range of skills, and his creative use of them.

What most did not know, was his skills and unpredictability extended past the battlefield. He was versed in multiple speaking methods, as well as a variety of techniques for reading people. In short, he knew how to manipulate others. He didn't think the usual tactics would work on the experienced and canny individuals conferring behind those imposing oaken doors, so he had decided to drop a bomb on them.

The doors opened, and the wizened face of the Hokage's old teammate Koharu appeared, "Come in, Hiroto-san."

Hiroto entered calmly and stood at the end of a long dark wooden table. The Hokage sat at the opposite end giving him a worried and almost apologetic look. On the long sides of the table sat the various clan heads, as well as the Hokage's old teammates and Danzo.

Before anyone could speak, Hiroto struck, "Thank you all for seeing me on such short notice," he kept his tone even and respectful.

His words caused confusion to run through his audience, as he had wanted. They had called _him _here after all.

"As you know," he continued, pressing his momentum before someone could correct him, "I have taken a personal interest in Uzumaki Naruto. This is due to his rather unique circumstance, and his treatment by the village because of it."

"What circumstance do you speak of?" the Hokage asked. Hiroto was grateful for his aid. It was integral to his walking out of here with what he wanted.

"His status as the jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi no Kitsune," the chunin said blandly.

The room erupted as various people began talking at once. He heard a few demands for the source of his knowledge and some vehement denials. He swore he heard the Uchiha patron suggest he be killed or otherwise silenced.

"QUIET!" the Sandaime finally roared when the councilors showed no signs of calming on their own. They all complied rather swiftly.

"How have you come by this knowledge, Hiroto-san?" the Hokage asked him, a slight twinkle in his eye.

"If you look at my interrogation reports from my defection, you will see that I have experience with another jinchuuriki," Hiroto explained, "I pieced the truth together from that experience and a bit of investigation into Naruto," no sense in telling them the Hokage had led him by the nose to the revelation.

"What prompted this... investigation?" Uchiha Fugaku asked carefully.

"I ran into the child by chance," Hiroto told him honestly, "There were some odd incongruities with how a mischievous child should be treated and how he was handled. I grew curious."

He knew what the next question would be, so he headed it off, "I decided to befriend him on the off chance I could teach him to love this village as I do," he saw a few incredulous looks from the councilors and an outright sneer on Fugaku's face, "In the event I found him giving control to his prisoner, I resolved to kill the boy."

That earned him some surprised looks, and Inuzuka Tsume asked "You'd kill him?"

"My first duty is to protect this village," Hiroto responded with true conviction, "If I can save thousands at the cost of one, yes... I'll kill him."

That seemed to mollify a few people around the table. Others looked slightly discomfited by his proclamation. He felt he had them suitably off balance now.

"I would like to formalize my responsibility for Uzumaki Naruto," he stated, "I am requesting the council allow me to legally adopt him as his guardian."

The stunned silence was so sweet to his ears, and he would treasure the looks of surprise for years to come.

The surprise wore off in seconds, but the Hokage managed to head off the storm of debate, "Hiroto-san. You do not need the council's permission to adopt a child. You meet the necessary requirements already."

That confirmed one suspicion the chunin had. The Hokage truly was banking on Hiroto to give the boy some semblance of a normal life.

"Considering the individuals involved," Danzo said evenly, "I think he's done the proper thing. Hiroto is, and always will be, a defector from Kumogakure. Uzumaki Naruto holds the most powerful being known," Hiroto internally winced at the old war hawks words.

"That thing should have been put down years ago," Fugaku stated coldly, "If it breaks from its seal, there is no telling how much damage it could cause," the Uchiha patron's feelings did not surprise Hiroto. The Uchiha had absorbed a large portion of the casualties from the attack.

"We are aware of your stance on the jinchuuriki," Homura said to Fugaku icily, "It was decided that it would be a terrible waste considering the fact that Kumogakure has at least one vessel, most likely two."

"We are not here to debate Naruto-kun's existence," the Hokage interjected, somewhat annoyed, "That matter was decided years ago. Hiroto-san has come to us because of the unusual circumstances of his request. Let us put it to a vote. Should he be allowed to take legal guardianship of Uzumaki Naruto?"

"I vote yes," Koharu started, "The boy is showing signs of delinquency, and despite Hiroto-san's past, he has shown himself to be a capable and loyal shinobi of the Leaf. I say let him be a role model for Naruto."

"I vote no," her counterpart, Homura disagreed, "Hiroto-san can easily perform those functions without adopting him."

"No," was the only thing Fugaku offered.

"I vote yes," Tsume told them, "Koharu's right. Since you wouldn't let me take the pup, let Stripes handle it," she grinned as she used Hiroto's informal code name. He had heard the Inuzuka clan had petitioned to adopt the boy, but had been shot down by the council for fear of the power it would give them.

"I vote no," Shikaku stated blandly, "Sorry, Hiroto-san. Don't really trust you."

"I say no as well," His large friend, Choza agreed, leaving his reasons unstated.

"I say yes," Inoichi surprised them by disagreeing with his old teammates. An extremely rare occurrence.

"Yes," Shibi said flatly, "It will free up ANBU resources while Hiroto-san is in the village and give our jinchuuriki a chance for training outside the academy," Hiroto had actually discussed the benefits of his proposal with the Aburame head prior to the council meeting. The man had considered all angles, but had eventually agreed the idea was logical.

"I abstain," Hiashi said stiffly. Hiroto didn't blame the man. His clan had lost almost as much as the Uchiha, but he was also not blinded by hatred, as was Fugaku. His clan was run differently, though. Fugaku ruled with an iron fist; Hiashi still had to contend with his clan's elders who saw Naruto, and Hiroto, with varying degrees of distaste.

All eyes settled on the heavily bandaged Danzo. The man seemed to be considering very deeply. Finally, after minutes of silence he looked at Hiroto and smirked, "I vote yes."

The Hokage had lost composure at his longtime rival's unexpected answer. He was lightly gaping at the black haired man. He quickly recovered, however, "That is five votes for, four votes against, and one vote abstained. Hiroto-san, you have this councils permission to officially adopt Uzumaki Naruto. We have no further need of you... dismissed."

XxXxXxX

Hiroto spent another hour at the tower filing the necessary paperwork. When he was preparing to leave, a gruff voice called out to him.

"Hiroto-san," Danzo was ambling up to him, his cane tapping out an even rhythm, "May I speak with you?" the request sounded more like an order.

"I have someplace to be," Hiroto told him, "but we can talk on the way."

The elder nodded his acquiescence to the compromise and exited the Hokage's tower with the young man.

"You were surprised by my vote," Danzo was not asking.

"I wasn't the only one, Danzo-sama," the chunin countered.

"My old friend, Hiruzen, sometimes forgets that I always have the village's best interests in mind," the old man explained.

"You think my taking care of Naruto-kun is in the best interest of the village?" Hiroto could not hide his incredulity.

Danzo chuckled at that, "After the incident seven years ago, I proposed the boy be given into my care to be trained. He would have been a shinobi by now."

Hiroto's hazel eyes regarded the old war hawk, "You would have made him a weapon."

"Perhaps," Danzo allowed, "but he also would not have been through the hardships he has faced instead. He would have had the satisfaction of duty and at least some human contact."

Hiroto couldn't deny that point, "So why allow me, the traitor from Kumo, to have him?"

"Please, Hiroto-san. Do not insult my intelligence," Danzo answered, "I have kept a close eye on you and, despite your drinking problem, you are talented and loyal shinobi."

"So you want me to do what the Hokage will not allow you to do?" the younger man asked.

"In a sense," Danzo confirmed, "He is too old for emotional conditioning, but his goals are known to me. He wants to be a shinobi, and you are able and, more importantly, willing to guide him down that path. He can still be a great asset to this village."

The two men lapsed into silence as Hiroto considered his elder's words. He had already started Naruto on an exercise regimen and taught him some basic taijutsu. It gave him a good reason to stick around and keep an eye on him. Danzo wasn't really asking him to do any more than he already was.

"You tried to get the council to allow the Inuzuka to ward the boy as well, didn't you?" he asked suddenly.

Danzo nodded, "After it was clear Hiruzen wouldn't allow me near the boy, I threw my support behind Tsume's request. She and her clan are loyal. Almost to a fault."

"I believe I understand you better now, Danzo-sama," Hiroto told him, "I'll teach him what I can and give him as much reason as possible to remain loyal. I can tell you, though, that everyone has a breaking point, and loyalty is never a guarantee."

"You would know better than most," the defector could tell the man did not mean any insult, though it still stung a little, "Have a good day, Hiroto-san," the old man stopped, and Hiroto continued on ahead.

XxXxXxX

To the Hokage's credit, he didn't so much as flinch when he realized one of his ANBU had slipped into his office unnoticed. His face was hidden by the stylized visage of a raven, and the Hokage could see his tension despite his apparent ease.

"Report, Itachi-kun," the ANBU nodded and removed his mask to reveal a young face with uncharacteristic wisdom and sadness.

"I am sorry to report that my clan leaders will not see reason," the Uchiha heir told the aged leader, "My speaking against them is drawing suspicion as well."

Sarutobi sank into his chair and closed his eyes, allowing his age to show, "What are you hoping to gain Fugaku?" he asked rhetorically.

"I believe he plans to gain your position," Itachi answered needlessly, "If I may, Hokage-sama... there is a more expedient solution."

"You would destroy the clan?" the Hokage asked incredulously, "Every man, woman, and child."

Despite the young man's ability to keep his emotions well hidden, the wizened leader could see his discomfort, "I don't believe it is necessary to kill the children..."

"You do not wish to harm Sasuke-kun," Itachi nodded in admission to the Hokage's observation, "He and the other children are too young to be party to my clan's misguided coup."

"How would accomplish such a task anyway?" Sarutobi asked, "You are talented, true, but your clan boasts more than one-hundred shinobi. Half of them are chunin or better."

"I have discovered a means," the double agent said. At the Hokage's inquiring look he continued, "It is not something I wish to discuss. It is... questionable."

"This whole situation falls into that area," the old man grumbled unhappily, "Try to bring your clan around without blowing your cover. I would rather not put you through such a despicable course."

"I will do as you say, Hokage-sama," Itachi said as he donned his mask, "I do not believe I will be successful, but I will try."

Just as he had appeared with no warning, he was gone in the same way.

"Be safe," the Hokage whispered.

XxXxXxX

"Damn this thing is complex..." Masaru muttered, finding no problems in staring at his smaller friend's bare chest, "What the hell is this array going towards your belly button for?"

"Do you two have to do this out in the open?" their steel eyed friend asked blandly.

"Quiet you!" the larger boy demanded, "This thing is wild. Does Ren-san's look the same?"

Osamu pulled his shirt down and cried out indignantly, "How should I know? I don't go trying to look under Nee-san's shirt."

They had wandered into a nearby stand of trees after their rigorous training so Osamu could make good on his bet. Masaru didn't have the know-how to even begin unraveling a seal half as complex, though. At least not without some knowledge of its capabilities, but Osamu was being tight lipped about that. They were preparing to jog back to their start point when the sound of voices reached them from the far side of the copse.

"Go away kid." they heard a peer say, "Every time you're around, our parents make us leave."

"I can go where I want!" they heard another voice yell, "It's not my fault your parents are dumb!"

"At least we have parents!" yet another boy said.

The last comment got a wince out of both Hotaka and Masaru. They both looked at their friend to see his pupils dilating in his anger. The small boy stomped through the stand of trees, and the other two quickly followed. They came back into an open area of the park that was hidden from the road by the trees they had just cleared.

They saw a group of five kids facing off with one blond in a dirty black t-shirt and khaki shorts. The bullies were facing towards the trees, and saw the newcomers arrive.

"Look," they recognized the first speaker's voice. He was slightly older, but still smaller, than Masaru and had a smug look under his short, brown hair, "Bet they'll tell you to clear out, too."

Osamu remained silent until he pulled even with the target of all the bullying on the boy's left. Masaru took up a position to Osamu's left while Hotaka stopped to the blonde's right. They could tell that the cat-eyed boy was going to support whoever this was, and they weren't about to let their friend go it alone.

"What makes you think I'll agree with someone who bullies others?" Osamu said. He gave them a wide, toothy grin and nearly laughed as they cringed from his suddenly feral visage. He had found early on that, with his cat-like eyes and his oversized canines, his smile was more intimidating than warm. He had made a habit of keeping his lips together when he was truly happy, but people tended to shudder, despite his size, when his teeth were bared.

"Yea!?" the defacto leader of the bullies said a little too forcefully, "Well you can leave too!"

"I think you should leave blondie here, alone," Masaru said quietly. He rolled his shoulders to draw more attention to his larger size.

"Yea," Hotaka said brightly, "This park is big. We can all share without having to deal with each other."

"Maybe we should just go," a boy about Osamu's size said to his friends.

"No!" the biggest yelled and pointed at his original target, "I'm tired of this twerp making me leave. My parents say he's bad. Besides... it's five to four"

"Five to five," Osamu corrected, his grin getting wider.

"Wha..." the bully froze before he could finish one more word when he heard a deep growl behind him. His friends were all equally frozen in terror.

Eyes wide, the blonde they had defended finally spoke up, "What is that?" there was a hint of fear, but mostly wonder in his voice.

"That," said Osamu smugly, "Is Mikazuki. Nee-san's panther."

The bullies finally managed to collectively gather their courage and turn to see what menaced them. True to the black haired boy's words, there was a very large, and very angry looking, black cat behind them. A growl was still rumbling in the back of his throat.

Masaru leaned forward and mock whispered, "You should run now..."

Like a switch had been flipped, the bullies began screaming and tripping over each other to get away. They scattered to the four winds and were gone in seconds. The terrible trio exchanged triumphant looks and began to laugh uncontrollably. They soon managed to get themselves under control, but a giggle escaped one of them every now and then.

"Did you see their faces?" Masaru gasped, still winded from his laughing fit, "Man, Osamu! How do you make that smile so creepy?"

"Nee-san's been teaching me," the smaller boy explained, "I like that last part... 'You should run now...' classic."

"We can't forget Zuki," Hotaka chided his friends, "He was the lead role!"

They all looked over to the panther who was now lazing in the early afternoon sun, "Thanks Zuki," they chorused. The great cat just yawned and rolled to his back.

"Who the heck are you people?" the boy they had rescued finally cried. He seemed confused by their kindness.

Hotaka straightened, then gave an overly formal bow. He waved his hand out to his friends, "The runt is Osamu. Fatty is Masaru. I am Hotaka."

"Hey!" his friends cried together.

"And you would be?" Hotaka inquired, studiously ignoring his indignant companions.

"Naruto..." the boy answered nervously. They all finally managed to get a good look at him, taking in his whisker marks and bright blue eyes. They could all see his discomfort, but chalked it up to being shy.

"So what was up with those clowns?" Masaru asked, "Why were they trying to make you leave?"

Naruto began to rub the back of his head, "No clue really... A lot of parents do make their kids leave when I'm around. I try to stay out of sight so I don't ruin anyone's day."

"Well, well, well," a new voice chimed in, "Making some friends, Shorty?"

All four of the boy's jumped and looked back towards the trees to see a bland looking shinobi walking towards them. Even knowing he was there, they couldn't pick up his footfalls.

"Hiroto-san!" Naruto cried happily, "I thought you had a mission?"

"Got canceled, kid," he answered as he examined Naruto's new acquaintances, "Hibaku, Sakibou, and Shoudou... you could do a lot worse, Naruto-kun."

"You know us?" Osamu asked with eyebrows raised.

"I've done my share of wall guard in the fox district," he answered, using the nickname the area had earned after the attack, "We get briefed on Natsumi-san's testing grounds and the wild cats around the Sakibou estate."

While technically true, Hiroto did not mention that he had investigated the two cat users' friends quite thoroughly and spied on the pair regularly.

"How about me?" Hotaka inquired.

"I have helped your mother tutor at the academy," he answered honestly, "She is an excellent teacher, even without her legs. Has this one kid she focuses on that can't even perform ninjutsu, but a year under her has him fighting like a demon."

He saw Osamu perk up at that information. The kid seemed to weigh his words before speaking, "They are letting him train as a shinobi even though he can't use ninjutsu?"

Hiroto frowned. The way those amber eyes shined with cautious hope made him wonder what issues the boy was having, "Do you have stunted coils, Sakibou-san?"

The boy shook his head, "It's my chakra... it's not balanced right. I only have Yin chakra."

The chunin's eyes widened. He had never heard of such a problem, "That is odd... I think if you can show a great deal of mastery in what you _can _do, you could make it through. That is the other boy's hope."

Osamu nodded, determination written clearly on his face. He could see that his friends were ready to help him any way they could, and it warmed Hiroto's heart to see such loyalty in so young a group. The next generation would have some fine shinobi.

"As much as I'd like to leave Naruto-kun with you boys," Hiroto said with honest regret, "I need to have a talk with him. Come on, Shorty."

He noted with chagrin that Naruto almost seemed more relieved than disappointed as they walked off, "What's the matter, kid? They seemed friendly enough."

"I know..." Naruto said softly, lost in thought, "They chased off some bullies, but now they'll have the same problem we do."

Hiroto hadn't realized his charge had become so observant. He had obviously noticed the way people avoided Ichiraku while they were there. Hiroto knew the two of them ate more than enough ramen to make up for the loss of business, but Naruto might blame himself.

"You think if people see them around you, they will treat them like you," the chunin stated.

Naruto nodded, then looked up at him, "Maybe if you hadn't defended me that day, people wouldn't look at you like they do..."

Hiroto chuckled, though the sound held no mirth, "Don't worry, kid. I earned those looks on my own long before I met you."

Naruto only nodded, and he silently thanked the boy for not asking what he had done. The blonde simply accepted his fellow pariah, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well... for starters," Hiroto smirked down at him, "You need to move."

"What!?" the kid exclaimed, "Why!?"

The smirk broadened into a smile, he loved baiting the energetic fool, "Because my apartment has the room."

"Room for what?" the bewhiskered boy was scratching his head and squinting hard in thought.

Hiroto decided to cut the kid some slack, "As of today I, Ryouko Hiroto, have adopted Uzumaki Naruto," he intoned solemnly, "I'm your legal guardian now."

The look of bewilderment, hope, and happiness drew a laugh out of Hiroto when he turned to see his charge stopped in the street, "Something wrong, Shorty?"

"You... you adopted me?" the blonde asked quietly. It was almost lost to the bustle of the afternoon.

Hiroto walked back to him and swept him up to his shoulders. He was getting a bit big for the act, but he still wasn't too heavy, "That's right, kid. Which means I'm responsible when you pull one of your pranks."

He heard the boy chuckle nervously, "I would never try to get you in trouble... err... what do I call you now?"

The chunin smiled, "Well... I am way too young to be a father, but not too old to be a brother."

"Nii-san," Naruto tried experimentally. It sounded good to Hiroto. He had come to regard the pariah as a little brother already.

"Just try to keep them to a minimum while I'm in town," he knew he was basically giving Naruto a blank check, but he felt the citizens needed a little prodding back for the way they ignored the boy. It was his tiny revenge for the disdain they showed him, too.

They drifted into a companionable silence as Hiroto continued on to Naruto's apartment, the blonde happily perched on his new brother's shoulders.

XxXxXxX

"So you finally see what must be done?" a voice called from the shadows of the warehouse.

"They will not accept that their actions will only destroy us all," Itachi answered from behind his ANBU mask. He walked deeper into the building, carefully watching for the dangerous man who had offered to help him.

"It seems my progeny have fallen very far then," the voice said from right behind the young shinobi.

Itachi didn't jump; his only reaction was a slight hitch in his easy breathing. He turned to face the strange mask the man wore. A single eye-hole on the right allowed the man to see. The rest of the mask was given over to a black flame pattern, but was otherwise featureless.

"Such a silly notion..." the masked man went on, "A bloody coup. An Uchiha should be more subtle, don't you think?"

"You will help me with what needs to be done?" Itachi asked, ignoring the question.

"Oh I can give you the power to slaughter a clan," the faceless man told him brightly, "It comes at a cost, however. Are you prepared to pay?"

"I will do what I must," the young ANBU said gravely.

"Good...then look into my eye."

Itachi met the shadowed, one-eyed gaze of the older man. He saw a strange glint there. One that bespoke of deep hatred and barely contained insanity. He saw the tale-tale signs of a spinning sharingan, and then he knew no more.


	7. Trials

A/N: I'm gonna have to throw out a couple of credits for this chapter. The first is for the idea of the "Jonin Trials"; a series of technical skill tests to see if someone has the ability to be a jonin. Credit for that idea goes to Xavon Wrentaile from his story _A Growing Affection. _I added my own twist to the idea, since I thought just testing a person's technical skills was a bit silly (probably the military in me talking). The rest of the trial is only mentioned in this chapter, but I plan to explore it more later. Go check out his story, though. It's good but long.

The other shout-out I need to do is for TwinTrouble. The way these sisters write Gai's dialogue in _Unplanned Paternity_ had me rolling. I am mimicking it to a certain extent. That story in general is pretty funny and has the most well written child characters I've seen on this site.

That's it for crediting my fellow authors.

* * *

Hiroto nearly cheered aloud and gave away his position when he found what he was looking for. He thought it mildly amusing that there was a single chunin guarding it.

He doubted that the man, Kotetsu if his memory served, was even technically a guard. The spiky haired chunin was most likely just there to hand out what Hiroto had come to take. Simple things, really. Just a bunch of radio transmitter/receivers in a box. Except these were specially encrypted for a certain exercise.

The past five days had been a constant workout, as various specialists evaluated his abilities in everything from basic stealth and evasion to ninjutsu and genjutsu. It all came to one conclusion. He was barely skating the line between chunin and jonin in technical skill. In most cases that would land him a solid chance at tokubetsu jonin, but he had a slight problem. He was in no way, shape, or form a specialist.

He had tested at a high C-rank to low A-rank in everything, absolutely baffling his proctors with his lack of focus. There was more to being a jonin than skill alone, however. The jonin trials ended in a two day exercise designed to see how well the applicant handled a solo mission and how well they put their varied skills together. He was not about to fail that task. Which is why he was currently scoping out his chances of getting a hold of one of the radios the proctors would be using to coordinate their efforts in making his life hell.

The lack of a true guard on the radios meant that no one before him had the gall of attempting to lift one. He supposed the same impetus that caused his defection was driving his current actions. Konoha shinobi were oddly loyal, having less nukenin per capita than any other village. He supposed that no one had considered stealing from the village to improve the odds of mission success simply because they were too loyal to consider it.

He continued to watch the junior chunin for a chance to sneak in as his thoughts drifted, years of boring stake out missions allowing him to multitask fairly well. The man just wouldn't budge, though. He may not have been put in place as a guard per se, but he was as vigilant as any other shinobi. Hiroto needed a distraction.

At that thought, a new shinobi appeared. A chunin he often saw in the company of Kotetsu. He was wracking his brain for a name to place with the chunin who had his hair under the bandana of his leaf plate, when the man gave him the very thing he needed.

"Some people down the street have a box of kittens," the newcomer told his counterpart, "They are giving them away."

"Really!?" Kotetsu stood excitedly, "Where!?"

Hiroto had to hold his laughter. It was always odd seeing trained killers give in to their more normal wants and needs. Apparently Kotetsu had a soft spot for cats. The two chunin stepped outside for a moment so the spiky haired one could be directed to fluffy, adorable kittens. Now was as good as any time. Slipping in through the window he had been spying through, he darted to the box and quickly snatched his prize. He hesitated before leaving, though, and, after a second of thought, grabbed two more radios.

He was long gone before the clueless chunin came back in.

XxXxXxX

"You did what!?" the black haired kunoichi asked him, dumbfounded.

"I stole some radios from the proctors' stash," Hiroto told her again.

"Hmmm..." the other ninja present mused, his thick eyebrows furrowed, "A Most Unyouthful activity, Hiroto-san."

They were currently meeting on top of the Hokage Monument. The persistent early autumn breeze drowned out their discussion after a few feet, so Hiroto felt it was the best place for them to meet and not be overheard.

"Kurenai-san, what is shinobi rule number fifty-two?" the thief asked after a moment of consideration.

"Use any and all resources available to complete your mission," she answered almost automatically.

"Gai-san," he turned to the green clad taijutsu expert, "What is the continuation of that? Rule fifty-three."

"Necessary resources are to be obtained by any means," Gai answered, "I see your point, Hiroto-san, but I do not believe the Hokage would approve of us stealing from our Own Village. That would open The Door to Chaos."

"Gai-san has a point, Hiroto-san," Kurenai agreed, "Besides, this is a test of our abilities. Not a mission."

"We're _shinobi _for crying out loud!" he nearly shouted in exasperation, "The radios were not properly protected. I was able to take three after only a few hours of searching and waiting."

"They were really that easy to get?" Kurenai asked hesitantly.

"Look..." the bland chunin started, running a hand through his short, brown hair, "You don't have to take them. I just thought I would try to help a couple of comrades."

"Why us, though?" Gai queried, "There are plenty of other Youthful Participants."

"True," Hiroto agreed quietly, "but more than this would have been too noticeable, and you two are some of the few people that treat me as if I belong in Konoha."

Kurenai frowned, "I appreciate the thought, then, but I will try to get by without this," she smirked at her junior, "Maybe if I had thought of doing it myself. In any case, I won't turn you in."

Hiroto nodded thankfully at the red eyed beauty, then turned to Gai, "How about you, Green?"

The Green Beast made a show of considering once more, rubbing his chin for effect.

"I, too, must decline," Gai finally said, "My Eternal Rival did not have this advantage, and neither shall I, but, like Kurenai-san, I will not turn you in. You are just being a shinobi after all."

"Then good luck tomorrow. Both of you," Hiroto told them as a farewell, and walked off.

XxXxXxX

"Alright, quiet the hell down," Shikaku drawled as he entered the briefing room carrying a large scroll, "Let's get this troublesome business out of the way so you can get ready for tomorrow."

The jonin commander ambled into the room and took an empty place amongst the ten jonin hopefuls standing around a large square table. He placed his scroll on the table and rolled it, unfurling a map of a circular training field. He smirked when he heard groans from a good portion of the chunin.

"That's right," he confirmed, "Back to the 'Forest of Death.'"

"Your objectives are simple enough," he began explaining, "Reach the tower at the center undetected. A positive ID on you counts as failure. Find _your _scroll within the tower. Steal it, and make it back out of the forest while evading capture."

"Does this mean after we have the scroll, stealth is no longer an issue?" Kurenai asked.

"Good question," Shikaku answered blandly, "After you have your scroll, we'll know. At that point, speed and evasion will be your best friends."

"Each of us has a different target?" another chunin asked.

"Yes," their commander confirmed, "You are not in competition with one another. In fact... sabotaging your fellows here will reflect very poorly on you."

"Expected opposition?" Hiroto queried.

"Well..." Shikaku thought, "We wouldn't send you in on a normal mission completely blind. There will be patrols and other detection measures. The tower will be guarded. I wouldn't put it past the proctors to set up some nasty traps, either."

"How will we recognize our target?"

The Nara patron pulled a stack of cards from his pocket and, after a quick shuffle, passed them out, "Flip that over... whatever color you have is the color scroll you want. Any other questions?"

When nobody voiced anything for a few seconds, Shikaku continued, "Alright. Operations commence at midnight tonight. You may enter the forest at any time after that, but you _must _bring your scroll back within forty-eight hours of that time. Understood?"

A chorus of assent was all the scarred jonin needed, "Dismissed."

XxXxXxX

Hiroto waited patiently, listening in on his pilfered radio. It was just about to hit midnight, and he planned to be in the forest no later than an hour after that. Others might have said that going in right as the operation started would be a little foolish, but he was counting on that sentiment.

He could tell from his eavesdropping that there were eyes on the approach to training field forty-four. You couldn't be picked off until you crossed into the exercise area, but the proctors had spies warning the patrols inside about incoming challengers. It was downright devious, but Hiroto planned on not being seen.

As soon as he heard the signal for operation commencement over the radio, he moved. He had scoped out the surveillance and determined the best way in was the river that flowed into the training ground. His normal clothing and equipment were carefully packed into a small, watertight pack on his lower back, and he wore a skin tight, black wetsuit. He would need to swim almost a kilometer downstream before he was at the boundary, but it would be worth it to get in unnoticed. Slipping his radio into his waterproof pack, he came to the riverbank.

He placed a breathing apparatus, a lucky trophy from a Kiri nukenin complete with goggles, over his face and silently eased himself into the gentle flow. The water wasn't too deep, but silty, hampering his vision. It did, however make him just about impossible to see following the current to his infiltration point.

Forty-five minutes later found him at a chain-link barrier. It most likely served to discourage the dangerous wildlife in the training field from getting out, but proved to be an annoying obstacle for the aspiring jonin. He didn't have ready access to a cutting implement, so he risked using some chakra to burrow through the muddy riverbed underneath the barrier.

He continued down the river for another twenty minutes before surfacing. He had exhausted his air supply, but the device had done its job. He could hear no warnings of his arrival over the radio.

He changed quickly into his gray uniform, and, using the various reports he heard as a guide, made his way deeper into the forest.

XxXxXxX

Ren sat back and looked at her work. The seal array she had painted out had taken the better part of a month, working at least three hours a day. She smiled as she pored over it, checking and rechecking the symbols.

Her clan, before the attack, had not been known for its fuuinjutsu, but had three very important seals unique to them. The first was the _Shinfuuin _that was placed on all newborn members of the clan. The second was the _Doushifuuin _placed on that newborn's chosen companion. The two seals tied them together and had one other added benefit.

The creation of that bond attracted one of the many strange cosmic spirits associated with their clan. The spirit's power caused the aging process in the feline to slow; it increased the time for maturation but lengthened their lifespan as well.

The most benefit for the clansman/cat pair was achieved through the final seal. The _Keiyakufuuin. _The third seal called forth the spirit to suggest a true binding. If it accepted, it would meld with the soul of the feline and the two would become something more.

She remembered well the Yuugure no Seirei agreeing to the deal and fusing with her solid black feline. The spirit had been nothing more than a portion of twilight sky in the shape of a great cat, and had turned her feline from an adorable house cat into a fierce panther with the power to make illusions.

She finished her accuracy check satisfied with her work. This ritual would make or break Osamu. He could barely mold enough regular chakra to activate the array, but he could do it. The real question was, would the spirit he called agree to the binding?

XxXxXxX

Hiroto cursed under his breath, as he narrowly avoided yet another patrol. The sun had risen, and he was only about halfway to his goal. Whoever was commanding the patrol groups had a keen understanding of infiltration and was using it to direct the paths of searching shinobi into probable areas of hiding. He had heard two groups report catching a jonin hopeful each. The patrols got denser near the tower, too. At the rate he was having to move to avoid detection, he wouldn't even make it to the tower before his time was up. He needed a new plan.

To help facilitate that process, he proceeded to climb the tallest tree he could find. He popped up above the general canopy and got a good feel for his distance and direction to the tower. When he tried to climb higher to get a better view, though, the top of the tree began to bend under his weight. A wild and extremely dangerous idea popped into his head, but he figured if he could pull it off, he could arrive at the tower before anyone there figured they would need to be alert.

He spent a good half hour working the numbers, and figured it was possible. The main variable would be if he could implement the wild idea before anyone found him. He reached for a storage scroll and unsealed its contents; a great deal of rope. He silently thanked Kumo for all of those days of climbing training as he tied a complex and sturdy knot around his tree. After he was done with that, he played out a good length, and then jumped directly away from his goal.

Finding a strong secondary tree proved quite easy. He hammered in a series of kunai about the tree as a guide for his thin, but strong, chord. Threading it through made a makeshift system to ease along the next part. Despite this, he soon realized he needed far more strength to accomplish the required tension.

_"Kuchiyose: Tora Kagai," _he whispered after a few hand signs.

His tigers appeared lounging on various nearby branches. They almost gave him a bright greeting, but quieted as soon as they saw his finger over his lips.

"I need your help," he whispered, counting on their keen feline hearing to pick up his words, "We need to pull this rope until that tree," he pointed to his original perch, "is bent enough for my needs."

The great cats looked somewhat bewildered by the request, but shrugged and helped him anyway. Ten minutes of grunting effort had it where he wanted.

"That should be good," he panted as he secured the rope.

Mouko eyed the setup and understanding lit in her violet eyes, "You can't be serious about trying this."

"It should work... in theory," he countered.

"What?" the twins asked simultaneously.

"Just cut the rope when I say," Hiroto ordered.

He leapt up to the now creaking first tree and stuck himself to it. He used more chakra to strengthen his legs, "Do it now!"

Without thinking, Oodora sliced razor sharp claws through the tight rope. With a twang and whip crack, Hiroto was gone.

"You idiot!" Mouka cried.

"What?" Oodora said defensively, "I was just following orders."

"Those orders were likely suicidal," Kodora told him, finally understanding, "That man is insane."

"Let's just go," Their white sibling grumbled dejectedly, "If he survives that harebrained scheme, I'm gonna maul him for his stupidity."

XxXxXxX

He crouched on the sideways tree and shouted, "Do it now!"

The sudden force of the tree righting itself nearly sent him flying too early, but he managed to stick to the trunk until just the right moment. Releasing his hold, he used chakra enhanced muscles to jump. The sheer stupidity of this idea was not lost on him as he went flying through the air at ridiculous speeds. He did, however, feel slightly vindicated as the tower came into sight below the trees. Now came the hard part.

He had been shaping his chakra into wind as soon as he went flying, and he hoped it would be enough. He angled his body to catch as much air as possible and began expelling the wind chakra through the tenketsu on his torso. He felt himself slow considerably, but with the canopy coming up at him at an alarming rate, he knew it wouldn't be enough.

He twisted around to protect his eyes and began attempting to stick to anything he contacted as he fell through the thin upper branches. The combined effect managed to slow him enough to reduce his landing onto a large branch to a jarring tuck and roll, instead of a bone-shattering splat.

"This is central," he heard over the radio, "What the hell was that noise?"

"This is patrol seven, central," an answer came back, "Looks like someone set-up and sprung some sort of trap using a tree..."

"You sound uncertain," central replied.

"It's just... we don't really know what it was for."

"Check the area," the voice from central ordered.

Hiroto was giddy. His gambit had worked.

"I swear I felt a chakra spike over here," he heard a woman say from nearby.

Well... almost.

He hopped off his branch and used a bit of chakra in his hand to slow his fall. As soon as he hit the ground he began looking for a place to hide. His insane luck held when he found a hollow at the base of one if the massive trees. He quickly dove in, and, using the minutest amount of chakra possible, brought up earth to seal up the entrance. He left a miniscule hole to allow air in, however.

As soon as he was done, he fell back exhausted. He managed a field ration before lying down to get a few hours of sleep.

XxXxXxX

Osamu sat nervously in the center of the seal array his sister had made, his speckled kitten in his lap. Her mismatched gold and light-green eyes roamed the room curiously, but she stayed put for once.

The seal took up an entire spare room in their house. This was the final test of his chakra training. If he could not produce enough balanced chakra to activate the seal, his sister would not allow him to enter the academy. That was not an option for the soon-to-be eight year old. His sister nodded to him after finishing yet another once over of the array.

He began the set of seals his sister had taught him, adding 'tiger' at the beginning to channel more physical energy into his unbalanced chakra. She had drilled him mercilessly in hand seals, and he had the thirty seal string done in as many seconds. He began to feel the strain on his body from forcing it to produce the proper chakra, but grew excited when he felt the seal below him pulse with power. His excitement grew as a mass of formless black manifested before him.

The mass began to pulse and shift, the motions going quicker and quicker. As it shifted, pinpricks of light appeared in it. Soon, the lights gathered into groups, forming spiraled disks or globular clusters. Osamu watched in wonder as two of the disks collided, scattering the lights about. Soon the mass settled into a coherent shape, and the two Sakibou could just make out the silhouette of a large cat.

"Who calls me to this realm," its voice was like a thousand whispers all speaking at once, some slightly out of time with others.

"I, Sakibou Osamu, call you spirit," the boy intoned the ritual response, "May I know your name?"

"My name spans eons, child," the spirit answered, "It is found betwixt grains of sand and emblazoned across the stars. Your kind cannot hope to fathom it. Instead call me Garandou no Seirei."

"You know why I have called you, Garandou-sama," Osamu stated respectfully, "Will you accept the contract and bond with my partner and I?"

The cat-shaped, light-filled emptiness rose from it's sitting position and began to stalk about its summoner, "That depends," the whispers answered, "Why do you ignore your power, young Sakibou?"

Osamu shot his sister a bewildered look and she couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean spirit?"

"Ah yes," it sounded mildly amused, "Your predecessor did not see it at first either."

"Predecessor?" Osamu whispered to himself. Louder he asked, "Do you mean the original Sakibou Osamu, founder of our clan?"

"Yes," they heard a hint of wistfulness in the whispers, "He was fascinating. His connection to the realms of spirit and mind were powerful. Though... I think I may be in the presence of one more powerful."

"You mean my strange chakra," Osamu stated, sure in his guess.

"Good," the spirit responded, "You have noticed the signs. Now why do you ignore your power, child?"

Osamu could tell he was being weighed on some unknown cosmic scale. He had no clue how to tip the balance in his favor, but the spirit seemed content to patiently wait for his answer. He wracked his brain for something, anything to satisfy the strange being. It had allowed that it had to do with his chakra, but that had only been a hindrance to him. He had gone through grueling training to learn how to produce Yang chakra just to balance it out.

He stopped on that thought. His sister had taught him chakra theory in the course of his training. They had never actually trained in the reverse, though. Why produce Yin chakra when your system was already filled with it? He knew the process, however, and his constant drilling gave him a very good chance of being able to do it.

Instead of simply fielding his thoughts, he formed the dragon hand seal. It was as if a damn had busted. He could feel his coils fill with otherworldly power and he knew this had been what the spirit was alluding to.

"Yes, Osamu," the whispers called out approvingly, "You have done well to find it. Your ancestor called it _Kononkyou. _I can guide you in its use, but first, we have a pact to seal. You must name the feline."

He nodded, "Her name is Yancha," he had chosen the name for her playful nature.

The spirit stopped in front of Osamu and, after gathering itself, pounced. The last thing the youngest Sakibou remembered was being surrounded by twinkling lights, then darkness.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto woke with a quiet start. It took him no time to orient himself, and he peaked out of his air hole to see darkness. He used his hands to widen the opening and slip out. His radio wasn't making any sound, and he assumed it was dead. It had served its purpose, though, and he stowed it in his small pack.

He could just make out the sounds of patrols around the tower, and he wondered at the best way to get past them. His thoughts were interrupted as a loud explosion rocked the night.

"YOSH! THE BEAUTIFUL GREEN BEAST OF KONOHA HAS HIS SCROLL!" he heard a very familiar voice yell in triumph as the taijutsu expert burst from his self-made exit. Hiroto figured that keeping quiet for nearly twenty-four hours had driven Gai batty. Not that it mattered. Gai could outrun anyone in the village.

The patrols still took off after him. They had the presence of mind to leave behind a few teams, but their net was much looser. Hiroto timed their routes, and, despite variations in the pattern, determined he had a fifteen second window to get to the tower. Gai had been kind enough to leave him a good entrance. He waited for the next patrol to pass, and then dashed soundlessly across the clearing.

His luck ran out as he cleared the dust cloud left by the explosion. A random chunin was already guarding the new ingress, and his eyes widened at the sight of Hiroto. The wannabe jonin used the surprise to his advantage by leaping at the guard and laying him out with a flying knee. He proceeded to knock the rattled man fully unconscious with a fist to the temple. He considered hiding him, but decided not to waste the time. He needed to find his scroll and book it.

He looked about and saw he was in a storage room. The door had been mangled by the overzealous Gai, so Hiroto peeked out. He saw more signs of the Green Beast's passage, and, lacking better information, decided to follow it. He noticed that the lights were out and silently thanked whoever had killed the power.

Hiroto decided to pull a trick he had learned early on as a genin in Kumo. It had no official name, but people jokingly called it the gecko step for how it made the user resemble the lizard. Using his chakra, he scurried up the wall and began scuttling across the ceiling on all fours. He figured most of the traps set up in the tower would have triggers in the floor or walls, but he still kept a careful eye out. This proved a good idea as he barely noticed a section of ceiling that would sink slightly from his weight. After ensuring the wall was clear, he bypassed that little hazard.

He soon found himself in the central chamber of the ground floor, and had to suppress a laugh. There, sitting on little pedestals were the scrolls. He thought it rather devious to leave them down here, as many would assume them to be in the higher chambers. He didn't see any guards, which pretty much guaranteed traps of a nasty sort.

He took a good long look at the room, scouting the best way to get at the blue scroll that was his target. The room was circular and vaulted with many doors leading off from the chamber. He could spot a number of pressure plates scattered amongst the tiled floor, but knew those would be decoys for more subtle triggers. The center of the room was a good twenty feet away, so a mad dash was out of the question.

He didn't have time to tiptoe across the floor, so he scuttled up the wall. His impatience nearly did him in when he missed the trigger plate his hand landed on. His only warning was a faint click, and he narrowly avoided being pin-cushioned by flipping his body to the left. He still felt a graze on his exposed lower arm, and could feel a slight burning. Cursing about poisons, he popped a general antivenin and continued up the wall, more careful than before.

He reached the apex of the vaulted dome without triggering further traps, but he could still feel the poison dulling his senses. He focused through the haze and pulled a fist full of kunai from his pouch. Blessing whoever had designed the tower for building the lowest level out of stone, he used a steady release of earth chakra to soften the hard material and push in his kunai until only the rings remained. As soon as the kunai were in place, he re-hardened the stone. Unsealing the last of his rope, he quickly wove it through the kunai, making sure the web of chord would spread his weight evenly.

He cut a section of rope to use for his descent and looped it around his waist, putting the other end through the center point of his support web. He eased himself down, but only managed to get within five feet of his goal when he noticed a lattice of fine wires below him. He wondered at the odds of him missing one of the wires as he climbed the wall, but didn't dwell too much on it. He pulled one of his favorite, if rarely used, tools from his pack. The pole was only about the length of his forearm, but with a flick of the wrist, it extended to almost twice his height.

He carefully maneuvered the pole through the web and made gentle contact with his scroll. He then made use of the polls most useful quality; the ability to channel chakra through its length. He used his dwindling supply to fasten the scroll to the poll, then pulled it up, quickly stowing both.

"Hello, Hiroto-san," he heard from above him, "This was rather creative."

Looking up to see a familiar silver-haired man standing upside down near his anchors he could only think of one word, "Shit..."

He immediately ran through a set of hand seals and inhaled deeply. With a cry of 'F_uuton: Renkuudan' _he release the pent up wind chakra in a massive ball of dense twisting air. Kakashi's eye widened slightly, but quickly realized that he wasn't being attacked. Hiroto had aimed the air blast directly away from the way he had entered. With nothing to stabilize him, the force of the attack sent him flying towards the door.

"Oh," Kakashi said blandly, "That's clever."

The jonin launched himself on an intercept trajectory, managing to reach the door at the same time as his junior. Hiroto's had cut his tether mid-flight, and, landing a few feet from the door moments before Kakashi could put his feet on the ground, tucked into a forward roll. As the jonin's feet met the floor, the chunin unfolded his body halfway through his maneuver and performed a hand spring. A single eye widened as it took in the bottoms of Hiroto's sandals flying at it. With no chance to stabilize and punish his opponent for the wild maneuver, Kakashi used his downward momentum to fall under the attack. He turned just as Hiroto touched down on the other side of the door and took off at a dead sprint. Kakashi gave chase, impressed so far with his target's abilities.

"Shouldn't you be chasing your eternal rival?" Hiroto called back as he ran.

"I was sleeping when he made his move," Kakashi responded, gaining a bit of ground, "Your bad luck that he woke me up with his exit strategy."

It took less than ten seconds for them to break out into the open air, and Hiroto cursed to see a line of shinobi waiting to intercept him. He skidded to a stop and jumped as high as he could back the other direction, sticking to and running up the side of the tower. He pulled out and swallowed a soldier pill to keep up his flagging reserves, and thanked his adrenal glands profusely for counteracting the effects of his earlier poisoning.

Hearing multiple shouts he began to zigzag wildly. His efforts were not in vain as various elemental and mundane projectiles impacted around him. Looking back, he could see Kakashi was still hot on his heels. At the top, he sent as much chakra to his leg muscles as they could handle without snapping. His speed ramped up with the added help, and when he reached the edge of the roof his leap carried him nearly forty feet into open air.

"Wha..." he heard behind him.

He began expelling unshaped wind chakra from his tenketsu, slowing his fall and causing him to glide further away from the tower. He landed on an outstretched tree limb at the very edge of the clearing and risked a glance back. To his horror, he saw Kakashi performing the same stunt he had just done. He also saw both of the jonin's eyes, and realized the man had copied his little trick.

He bolted into the trees, knowing he would need all the lead he could get. Kakashi had lived amongst the forests of the Land of Fire all his life, and Hiroto knew the man could out tree hop him. Sure enough, he could just make out the sound of pursuit behind him. He began to slap explosive tags indiscriminately on whatever surface he could reach while running. Despite the explosions he could still hear Kakashi gaining on him. The sound was suddenly drowned out by a howling wind, and with wide eyes, Hiroto dove down towards the forest floor. His action saved him a great deal of pain, but the sphere of compressed air still clipped him and sent him tumbling.

He landed on a lower branch, the impact knocking the air from him and cracking a few ribs. He stood, ignoring the pain as he gulped down air. Kakashi landed ten feet away on a nearby limb, and Hiroto cursed. He began a mending jutsu, but he was no expert and his ribs were knitting slowly.

Kakashi just shook his head in mild wonder, "Is there any discipline you don't dabble in?"

"Fuuinjutsu," Hiroto answered with a grimace, "Too complicated."

"I have to say," the senior admitted as he lowered his leaf plate over his sharingan, "You are really impressive. I haven't had a workout like that in a while. I'm gonna recommend tokujo at the very least."

"You make it sound as if this is over," the chunin shot back, leaving off his healing. The bones were far from healed, but the pain was more manageable now.

"Meh," Kakashi shrugged, "You can't outrun me in the trees. Might as well hand over your scroll so you can get some rest."

That made Hiroto laugh. He flashed through the hand seals of his most powerful jutsu, "_Kuchiyose."_

Kakashi blinked when the smoke cleared. His mark was panting like he had just run a marathon with Gai, but all he had to show for his efforts was a plain tabby cat.

"What happened to the tigers?" he asked.

"Needed something more powerful to take care of you," Hiroto panted.

"A house cat is more powerful than three giant tigers?" Kakashi asked flatly, too surprised to sound sarcastic.

"Who the hell does this guy think he is?" Toraneko growled, turning indignant amber eyes on the jonin, "I'll have you know, I'm the boss of the Cat Tribe."

"Can you take care of him for me, Toraneko?" Hiroto asked, "He's in my way."

"I'd normal tell you to suck it the hell up," the cat answered, "but this fool just insulted me. You still owe me one, though."

"Sure thing, boss," Hiroto agreed as he began to leap away.

Kakashi made to follow, but was suddenly knocked back and breathless from a blow to the chest, "Where you going, cyclops? We got business."

The cat was exactly where it had been summoned. Kakashi hadn't seen it move.

"The hell?"

Suddenly the cat was gone, and he could feel multiple high speed impacts across his body. Individually they didn't hurt too badly, like a sparring blow. He felt at least twenty strikes, though, and knew he was out classed. Maybe if he hadn't burned so much chakra chasing his quarry he could use his sharingan to keep up, but Hiroto had played his trump at the perfect moment.

"Lucky you're wearing a leaf plate," the cat commented from where it had started, "Otherwise I would use my claws."

Kakashi just shook his head, "Alright, alright... I give. You are too fast for me."

Toraneko nodded at the acknowledgment and disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"This is gonna make a weird report."

XxXxXxX

A couple of days had Kakashi and the rest of the proctors for the jonin trials before their peers. Promotion was determined by a gathering of the senior jonin led by the Hokage. The entire day was spent discussing the various candidates and their merits, then determining their fate. They finally came to rest on a rather hot topic.

"What does it matter how good he is?" Shikaku asked sharply, "He is still a defector from Kumo."

Kakashi shrugged, "I am just giving my recommendation based on his skills. He is an amazingly capable ninja. He should be given tokujo at least."

The Nara patriarch turned hard eyes on the ANBU captain, "He was a traitor to his native village. I don't trust him with that kind of authority."

The other jonin watched in disbelief as the two most notoriously lazy shinobi in the village had it out. Their words weren't heated, and neither straightened from their respective lazy slouches. Even so, everyone present could see the sparks flying.

"Hiroto has been through every interrogation technique we have, including Yamanaka mind invasion," Kakashi drawled, "Are you saying you don't trust your old teammate?"

Shikaku grunted in annoyance, "What's your interest in him, anyway?"

"Despite the fact that he doesn't meet the specific skill level requirements to be a jonin, he was able to infiltrate the forest, avoid all of the patrols, bypass our traps, and grab the scroll," Kakashi listed, "If it hadn't been for the tamper seal on the scroll itself, I would have never known he was there."

"Why don't we put it to a vote?" the Hokage finally asked, "He has demonstrated his skills in the trials and his loyalty in the field. All for promoting Ryouko Hiroto to the rank of jonin."

A mass of hands went up.

The Hokage counted them quickly, "Against."

Almost as many hands were raised, but after counting twice the Hokage smiled, "By a margin of five votes for, Ryouko Hiroto is hereby a jonin of Konohagakure."


	8. First Steps on a Long Road

A/N: This marks approximately two months since I started this story. I've updated like clockwork every week. I'm a little sad about the lack of reviews, but people continue to add me or this story to their follow lists. I take that as a sort of silent approval. In the end I write for myself anyway, so it's not too big of a deal. I will never hold my writing hostage for reviews, either. This chapter and one more will finish out the first part of the story. Chapter ten will begin with the creation of the teams. Enjoy.

* * *

"Naruto..." Hiroto started without even dropping his pack, "What the hell is that?"

"The best color in the world!" his adopted little brother shot back belligerently.

"But... it's so..." Hiroto seemed to be reaching for a proper way to vocalize his complaint, "Orange."

"Exactly!" the boy replied brightly.

"Should I even ask where you got that?" he waved his hand, indicating the orange and blue monstrosity the blonde was wearing.

"Some shop keeper saw me eying it," Naruto told him energetically, "When I told him I was looking for a super awesome ninja uniform he offered it to me half price!"

Hiroto's palm met his face as he moved farther into their somewhat messy apartment. He found Naruto to be oddly neat, while he was a slob.

The apartment was decently sized with a large main room split into living space and kitchen and two bedrooms off to the left on either side of the single bathroom.

He tossed his pack into his room and began peeling off his very dirty uniform. After finishing his trial he had made a trip to the hospital for his ribs, then snuck out from under the fussy nurses' noses to come home.

"So how'd you do?" Naruto asked as Hiroto stripped down to dirty white boxers and walked into the bathroom.

"Pretty good actually," he answered through the closed door, "I managed to complete the mock mission within twenty-seven hours."

"That mean you're getting promoted?" the boy wheedled as he heard water start to run.

"Don't know yet," the man answered loudly over the water, "The exercise isn't done until midnight tonight. They won't make any decisions until after that. Probably won't find out till after your first day."

After a few more minutes, the water stopped. Soon after that, Hiroto stepped from the bathroom in clean white boxers with a towel around his neck. He disappeared into his room and returned wearing a white shirt and some navy pants.

"You really are going to the academy in that, aren't you?" he asked, eyeballing the orange jumpsuit.

"Sure am!" was the response.

"You know that guy was probably thinking about making you a target, right?"

"Well duh." Naruto answered, "What ninja in their right mind would wear orange?"

"Uh..." Hiroto said dumbly, confused by the kids contradictions, "What?"

"You always said 'The ninja who wins is the one who is most surprising' and no one will expect me to be any good wearing this... as awesome as it is," the blonde said with a grin, "Besides, how hard can orange really be to hide in. Oodora and Kodora do it."

"Ugh," Hiroto put his hands to his face, "There are so many things wrong with that."

XxXxXxX

Osamu woke slowly, his mind still lost in a strange dream where thousands of whispering voices were trying to instruct him at once. His mind snapped back into reality when he heard a happy mew and felt a sudden weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to find his field of vision dominated by the black face of his companion.

"Hey, Yancha," she looked bigger to him, "How long has it been."

She meowed at him, and to his surprise he felt her answer form in his mind, '_Too long.__'_

He smiled when he realized he could understand her. His sister could only pick up simple ideas and complex emotions from Zuki. It looked like he could communicate fully with his own feline.

He looked out his window to see the sun halfway behind the horizon. He had performed the ritual in the morning and had then apparently slept the day away.

"Where's Nee-san?" he asked the cat.

'_Below,__'_she hadn't even made a sound that time, '_Burning food.__'_

He blinked at the odd words, then realized Yancha meant Ren was downstairs cooking. He chuckled at the description. He supposed the little predator wouldn't quite understand why humans insisted on burning their food before consuming it.

He moved to get out of his bed, and Yancha effortlessly climbed from his chest to his shoulder. She had to move for him to change, but she quickly returned to her perch when he was done. His stomach growled loudly as he descended the steps, and he could feel a wave of amusement from the cat on his shoulder. He soon made it to the kitchen where his sister busied herself with making a meal. His greeting died in his throat as his senses were assaulted by a huge amount of new input.

A soft purple light was emanating from Ren, and it pulsed and shivered randomly. His ears could pick up strange noises, like the crackling of a burning fire. Even his nose was picking up strange undertones behind the smell of food. He became confused at the strange sensations, shaking his head and looking again.

His sister was now looking at him quizzically, having sensed his presence, "Are you okay Osa-kun?" she asked with a hint of worry. The green aura shivered.

"I... I think I have the sight, Nee-san," he finally told her when the odd sensations wouldn't go away.

An excited look replaced the worried one on his sister's face, and the sound of a small fire roared into a blaze, "Two from the same parents is almost unheard of!" her voice matched her look.

"What have you felt?" she asked, "Demons tend to show as dark spots in your vision, and kami can cause odd odors or even tactile sensations."

Osamu shook his head, "I can sense your aura, but I haven't felt anything else..." he trailed off seeing the look of astonishment on her face. The sounds of fire died down, and the purple light dimmed slightly.

"Reikimokushi," she whispered.

"Is that good?" he asked, a little put off by her reaction.

"Kaa-san was the first person in the clan to have it in over three generations," Ren told him, still somewhat in awe, "For you to develop it... on top of a kekkei genkai," Ren sat down roughly at their table, her knees growing week at the implications.

Osamu shuffled nervously. His sister had prepared him for the idea of developing one form of the Reimokushior another. She had admitted that it was unlikely, since there was usually only one, if any, in a generation for a family. They were direct descendants of the founder through their father, though, and had an increased chance of coming into the power.

"Maybe it's not so strange," Osamu said, considering the information he knew, "Maybe the Reimokushi is a part of our bloodline, and I'm just the first in a long time to fully develop the whole thing."

Ren considered his words as she stood to lay out their food. The idea had merit, and she couldn't deny that the ability to see spirits had the feel of a kekkei genkai on its own.

She smiled at her little brother, keeping her teeth hidden as was customary for them, "I think you may have something there, Osa-kun. Where'd you get so smart?"

"Hmm... Can't have picked it up around here," he answered with a shrug, taking the chance to tease his older sister, "No one to take after."

She shot him a dirty look softened by familial affection, and he just smiled back. They lapsed into a comfortable silence as they ate, each lost in thoughts for the future.

XxXxXxX

"Slow down, Naruto," Hiroto called with a yawn, "Getting there early will only force you to wait for class to start."

The boy in question was nearly twenty feet ahead of his guardian doing his best not to break into an excited run, "C'mon, Nii-san. I'm too excited to start my training."

"I started your training three years ago," the man pointed out.

"This is different!" Naruto argued.

Hiroto let the point go as they approached the academy. There were a great many students already there, the first timers marked by the presence of their guardians. Hiroto and Naruto stood apart from everyone to prevent a scene with any of the parents. The chunin saw many of them speaking to their children and pointing to his charge. He didn't doubt they were warning their kids off the jinchuuriki. As he continued to look around he spotted the one person in the whole village he avoided.

"Hey, Naruto. I gotta go see the Hokage now," Hiroto said quickly, "You'll be alright on your own?"

"Yea, I guess," the bewhiskered boy answered turning to look at his brother. The man was already gone, though, "Nii-san?"

"Hey look," Naruto heard from behind him, "It's the kid from the park."

He turned to see the three kids who had stood up for him. He smiled awkwardly, "Oh... hey guys."

They were accompanied by a young woman not much taller than the surrounding kids. Judging from the eyes and hair, he guessed she was family to the smallest individual. Naruto peered around nervously, looking for the massive cat he had seen with the three boys. The only felines he saw, however, were a small golden furred, black speckled cat on Osamu's shoulder and a sable one trotting at the woman's side.

"Who is this?" the woman asked, fixing her yellow-green eyes on Naruto's blue ones. The gaze was unnerving, but he felt no hostility from her. Unusual for an adult.

"Naruto, if I remember right," the one wearing the gi stated. What was his name? Hota-something...

"Nice to meet you Naruto-san. I am Sakibou Ren," She said to him politely, then waved her hand towards her cat, "I believe you have met Mikazuki."

The gears in his head started turning. He had heard that name before...

"But that was the name of the panther..." the cat looked at him with the same deep-green orbs he remembered from the great cat, "HOLY CRAP! HOW DID YOU GET HIM SO SMALL!?"

"I've been trying to figure that out for years," the largest boy said sullenly, "but they won't tell me."

"We can't just go around telling everyone about our hijutsu, Masaru-kun," Ren chided him, "That would defeat the purpose."

When they refocused on the orange clad kid, he was eye level with Zuki. He reached out a tentative hand, and after a moments consideration the cat rubbed his cheek against it, allowing Naruto to pet him.

"Zuki thinks you smell like tigers," Ren commented.

"My nii-san summons tigers," Naruto explained, "He sometimes calls them to play with me."

She raised an eyebrow, "Does he now?"

Why did Naruto get the impression he had just told on Hiroto.

"Alright kids," a voice called out from the main doors of the academy, "Let's go... time for class."

"Alright you three," Ren said sternly, "Pay attention. Study and train hard. I swear if I find out any of you try to pull a prank, I will tell Mayu-san to double your exercises for a month."

A chorus of understanding went up from the three boys, and they trudged inside, followed by a bemused Naruto.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto arrived outside the Hokage's office to find the other jonin hopefuls already gathered around. Spotting Kurenai off to the side looking slightly morose, he walked up to her.

"You already find out?" he asked.

"Still a chunin," she told him, "At least I know where I need to focus for next time."

He nodded, "You got caught during the exercise didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," she admitted, "Genjutsu can be a double edged sword. If a person recognizes the effect, your cover is essentially blown."

Hiroto nodded in agreement, but before he could say anything else, the doors to their leader's office burst open.

"BEHOLD THE BEAUTIFUL GREEN BEAST OF KONOHA IS NOW A JONIN!"

"Congratulations, Gai-san," Hiroto called a bit louder than necessary, his ears ringing.

"Ah! Hiroto-san, it is a Fortuitous Event you are here," the excited taijutsu master told him, "The Hokage has told me your Youthful Presence was required As Soon As Possible."

Hiroto ignored the grumbling of his peers as he entered the office and shut the doors. The Hokage was looking over a file, presumably the results of his trial.

"B-ranked in ninjutsu with demonstrated water, earth, and wind manipulation. A-rank in taijutsu with ten demonstrated styles. C-rank in genjutsu, but you impressed the proctor with your subtlety. C-rank in weapons. A-rank in peripheral skills, demonstrating uncanny stealth and evasion," the Hokage listed off, "Not a bad showing, Hiroto-san."

The chunin nodded at the praise, but wasn't too hopeful. Two C-rank skill sets would hedge him out of jonin in most cases. He had at least done very well in the practical exercise.

"Your practical exercise was interesting," the Hokage went on, "It says here that you eluded Hatake Kakashi after retrieving your scroll. How did you manage that?"

"I uh..." he really didn't want to embarrass the cyclops by mentioning he had been bested by a house cat, "Summoned a powerful ally to hold him off while I escaped."

"Kakashi-san mentioned you used raw wind chakra to glide," the old man said, "That's a very creative idea."

"Burns a lot of chakra, too," Hiroto admitted, "Especially since my primary affinity is water."

"Do you know anything about the odd 'trap' the proctors found?" the Hokage continued his questioning.

"That wasn't a trap," the chunin claimed, "I used that tree to launch me to the tower. Used the gliding trick to keep from turning to mush on landing."

Sarutobi stared at him, "Why is it always the crazy ones?"

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama?" Hiroto asked, a little put off by the question.

The elder man just shook his head, "In light of the skills you demonstrated during the trials, we were prepared to promote you to tokubetsu jonin, but the proctors were unsure whether to classify you as a close-combat specialist, a bodyguard, a scout, an assassin, or a spy. The pratical exercise clinched it by showing us you had what it took to be a true jonin. Congratulations, Hiroto-san."

Konoha's newest jonin stood surprised by the Hokage's words. He was amazed the senior jonin had trusted him enough with the rank.

He didn't have a chance to recover before the Hokage went on, "It is a custom of mine, one I picked up from the Nidaime, to bestow a gift on newly appointed jonin to mark their promotion."

Hiroto shook his head, "You have done far too much for me already, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi waved his hand dismissively, "Trust me, Hiroto-san. You are by no means the only shinobi whose issues I take a personal hand in. The gift is a mark of your rank. Chunin receive the flak vest, but jonin do not have that universal identifier. I won't take no for an answer."

Hiroto moved forward, grumbling about Kages abusing their power, as the old man produced a storage scroll, "You were a rather difficult one to find something for, but I believe this will be rather useful to you."

The Hokage unfurled the scroll and activated the seal on it. When the smoke cleared, Hiroto was greeted by the sight of two oddly shaped shields. He had seen more than a few of the defensive items in his time, but never in the hands of a ninja.

They looked as if they had been designed to attach to the forearms much like bracers. They were thin and long, designed to cover the entire forearm, but allow for full freedom of movement while worn. There was a slight curve along their short axis, and they tapered to a sharp point that would jut well past a wielders knuckles. On the concave side were multiple heavy duty straps and a handle for the user to grasp. On the dull metal of the striking surface were embossed and painted orange tigers, mirrored on the shields and ready to pounce. Touching them, Hiroto found the pointed ends to be razor sharp, and realized that these were weapons as much as shields.

"The Toratate," his leader named them, "They have sat in my family vault for too long. It is said that so long as you have something precious to defend, these shields will accept any blow without a scratch."

"These are relic weapons?" Hiroto asked in wonder, "I cannot accept this kind of a gift..."

"You can and will," the Hokage ordered, "I have seen how you act, Hiroto-san. You always place yourself in danger before others. With these, you will at least have a good chance of surviving your protective tendencies."

Hiroto snorted in amusement, but couldn't deny the man's words. In the past six months he had saved four lives, nearly dying every time. He wasn't entirely sure that his goal was survival. The Hokage was being a stubborn old man, though.

"Very well, Hokage-sama," he relented, "I will take them."

"You must bond them with blood," Sarutobi explained, "Once you do, they will serve you until you die or relinquish them."

Hiroto nodded and used one of his kunai to slice his thumb. He allowed a drop of his blood to fall onto each shield near the mouth of the tigers. He felt a resonance as the blood seemed to seep into the dull metal. The bonding complete, he affixed the shields to his arms.

He considered the time it took to attach them, "Getting them on in combat may prove difficult," he commented.

To his surprise, the shields vanished. He examined his arms to find the tigers now seemingly tattooed to his forearms, "Okay... that was cool."

He willed them to return, and the Toratate were again in place, ready for combat. He went through a series of punches, frowning at how the weight of the shields slowed him somewhat. He would need to train hard to get used to them.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," he bowed deeply to his leader after dismissing the shields back to their tattoo form, "I will use these to protect Konoha."

"That is all I ask," the old man told him with a smile, "You are dismissed."

Before Hiroto left, he reached into his equipment pouch and brought forth a few electronic devices and placed them on the Hokage's desk. He ignored his leader's inquisitive look, turned on his heel and left.

The next chunin in line to see the aged leader found him in the midst of a laughing fit.

"Hokage-sama?" the chunin, a little worried.

The aged leader calmed some and waved at the electronics left on his desk, "I believe I need to have a talk with Shikaku-san about the Jonin Trial procedures."

XxXxXxX

Osamu and Hotaka claimed a comfortable spot in the academy yard in the shade of one of the larger trees. Around them they could hear the chatter of their peers as they prepared to eat their lunch.

They turned at the sound of grumbling to see an irate Masaru stomping up, "Dumb sensei holding me during lunch," he plopped down with his friends, tore open his own bento, and began to attack his food.

"Maybe you shouldn't have hid a firecracker with a remote detonation seal in his podium," Hotaka grinned at his large friend.

"How'd he even know it was me?" the large boy said around a mouth full of food.

"I think he saw your chakra flare," Osamu informed him.

"Where's your cat?" Masaru asked, not wanting to stick to the topic of his little prank and its repercussions when he got home.

"You know. I'm not sure..." Osamu trailed off as he saw his trouble making feline streaking across the school yard. The cat, by some unknown means, had stolen a bento her own size, and was currently dragging it across the grass by some excess thread that had been used to secure it. Its apparent owner was chasing after the thief. The scene would have been comical had his cat chosen anyone else to mess with. One look at the pupiless white eyes made Osamu blanch. His cat had gone and managed to annoy the Hyuga heiress.

Of course Yancha didn't have the decency to avoid him. She bolted right to him and dropped the bento with a triumphant 'brow.' Before he could even tear into the cat for her antics, the panting girl came up. Osamu noted idly that her eyes weren't exactly white. Even with his muted color vision he could see the hint of lavender in them.

'_She was alone,__'_Yancha told him, '_and sad.__'_

Osamu set down his own green bento to grab the deep purple one Yancha had brought him. Luckily, it was still sealed. Cringing inwardly, he allowed his reikimokushi to infect his senses. He wanted to be sure not to further insult the girl, and seeing the play of emotions in her aura would help immensely. Thankfully he seemed to have an intuitive understanding of the input, it was just slightly disorienting. He stood and held it to her, "I am very sorry, Hyuga-san. Yancha... well let's just say she earned her name."

She had quickly gotten her breath under control, but the flush never left her face. The cat user wasn't surprised to see she was as embarrassed as he was, but was confused by her lack of anger. The blue light coming off of her lacked the tale-tell pulsing that came with that particular emotion.

"It's o-okay," she stuttered quietly, taking her bento into timid hands.

"Would you like to eat with us?" Osamu offered. He saw surprise enter both her face and aura, but she shook her head.

She walked off without another word, leaving Osamu quite confused.

Hotaka snorted at her actions, "Might as well have committed sepuku for all the good it would have done you there," he joked.

"Kaa-san said the Hyuga were 'a bunch a stick-up-the-ass tightwads'," Masaru told them, mimicking his mother's gruff voice as best he could.

"I'm not so sure that she has that problem," Osamu said, almost to himself.

"What do you mean?" Hotaka asked.

"I'm not quite sure."

He couldn't pick up on subtle things yet, but the amount of loneliness radiating off the girl had caused his skin to prickle. He had seen, heard, and even smelt the emotions radiating off the auras of others, but this had been the first time he had felt it across his skin. He spent the rest of their lunch in a pensive silence as his friends discussed how they could get Masaru out of his extra exercise.

When lunch ended, Osamu claimed a seat in the back right next to the Hyuga girl. Even with his reikimokushi suppressed he could sense her loneliness. What could cause someone their age to be so despondent?

"I'm sorry again, for my cat," he told her before class was called to order, "She only wanted to play."

"I s-said it w-was al-alright," she stuttered back. Was she trying to get him to leave her alone? That didn't make much sense to him.

"I'm Osamu," he said, then he picked up his cat and plopped her down in front of the girl, "This little thief is Yancha."

He ignored the indignant look Yancha leveled at him and stared expectantly at her. He kept his face friendly, the corners of his mouth turned up and his eyes squinting slightly to take the edge off their feral appearance.

After a moment of silence the girl replied, "Hi-Hinata."

Yancha browwed happily at the girl and bumped her head gently against a hunched shoulder, purring loudly. Hinata raised her hand timidly, only for Yahncha to begin rubbing against it.

"She likes you," Osamu noted, bringing a small smile to Hinata's face.

Once class resumed, the feline climbed down to the Hyuga girl's lap, and drifted off to sleep, purring softly.

XxXxXxX

"It's good to see you, Ren-chan," Sarutobi said to the small young woman with a smile, "I'm sorry to put you off for so long."

He was truthful in that. To everyone who mattered, though, Sakibou Ren was officially a civilian. Not an important one either. That meant she was a low priority for his time.

The girl who had come to him practically begging for protection had grown into a beautiful, if petite, young woman. Her dark hair was tied back into a loose pony tail that went to the small of her back. Her features had lost the roundness of youth and taken on more angular, almost feral looking lines. She had barely made it over the five foot line in height.

She had taken to wearing a tight fitting black V-neck blouse with long sleeves that flared at the elbow and hid her hands. Her pants were a similar color, tight from waste to knee and loose below the joint. Her feet were clad in the sandals so ubiquitous in the village and beyond.

The Hokage couldn't help but think how much like a kunoichi she looked. It didn't matter too much. His village was filled with civilians with some level of shinobi training; Academy washouts, retirees, offspring of shinobi who never entered service. Unlike other villages, Konoha did discourage such things. Instead they were allowed to continue practicing the art. This gave Konoha a secondary force to call on in dire emergencies; a sort of militia. He was considering organizing them into a true fighting force.

"Think nothing of it, Hokage-sama," she had the courtesy to at least try to leave out the sarcasm, "Six hours is not so long."

The old man chuckled a bit, "I am actually glad you wanted to see me," he told her, "I wished to discuss increasing the scope of your... responsibilities."

She raised a single thin eyebrow to show her interest, "Are you activating me as an actual shinobi?"

"No, no," Sarutobi answered patting the air, "You have been an excellent watcher. Most of my data gatherers do not or cannot make some of the observations you have."

She shrugged, "Just watching got old."

The old man nodded, "I want you to start taking in data from other watchers and analyzing it. Your insights are valuable to me."

She nodded, "I can do that, Hokage-sama. Will I be provided a runner?"

"Don't worry about delivery," he said, "I'll make all the necessary arrangements. Take this as well," he tossed her small metal object, "It will make certain... activities easier for you."

She examined the item, finding it to be a small brooch. It looked like the stylized leaf that was the village's symbol, but the spiral terminated at a circle with a dot in the center. She realized it was meant to be an eye. Anyone seeing the brooch from a distance or giving it a passing glance wouldn't be able to tell the difference. She slipped it into a pocket. It wouldn't be appropriate to look as if she had received it from the Hokage.

"Now that that is out of the way," Sarutobi went on, "Why did you wish to see me?"

"I feel I should inform you that there is a new kekkei genkai in your village."

The old man leaned forward, interested, "What would that be?"

"_Kononkyou_," she told him, "My brother can affect a person's emotions with his chakra."

The old leader's eyebrows went up, "Are you sure it isn't just a powerful form of genjutsu?"

Ren shook her head, "Not as of yet, but he was able to cause fear in me with only a single hand sign. That was after only a few days of practice. If it is genjutsu, I didn't see any difference in my surroundings."

Sarutobi sat back to consider that. He wasn't called 'The Professor' for nothing. Genjutsu affected any of the primary senses rather easily. Sight, sound, touch, scent, and taste could all be manipulated. More advanced genjutsu could also affect the secondary senses like balance or the sense of time. A good genjutsu artist could manipulate his target by simply controlling his senses.

Many not initiated deeply enough into the arts falsely believed thoughts or emotions could be controlled with the techniques; a misconception genjutsu artists did everything they could to promote. Truthfully, any thoughts or emotions elicited by the illusions were incidental. Many masters of the art made in depth studies of the human psyche so they could effectively manipulate others.

To his knowledge, the only techniques capable of directly affecting thought were the hijutsu of the Yamanaka clan. Even they didn't have anything to control emotion. Their techniques could even be thrown off by powerful or chaotic emotions.

If the younger Sakibou could truly manipulate the feelings of others, he would be a very dangerous individual.

"Who else knows of this?" he asked.

"I ordered him to keep quiet about it."

"Good, this is a class-A secret," the old man ordered, "No one below jonin is to know about it, and only on a need to know basis."

Ren nodded her understanding.

"How have you trained him?" the Sandaime inquired.

"I have had to focus on chakra theory for quite some time now, but I have taught him the basic concepts of stealth, evasion, diplomacy, disguise, and other areas of espionage," Ren listed off.

"I can understand the espionage training considering your own talents," he allowed, "but why chakra theory? They go over it quite extensively in the academy."

Ren nodded in agreement, "I know, but his special power comes at a price. His chakra is permanently charged with spiritual energy. He can only produce balanced chakra by the methods normally used for Yang chakra."

Sarutobi sighed, "Of course. What might be the most powerful manipulation powers in a child that can't do the most basic ninjutsu."

"He can with great effort, but he is left physically exhausted," she explained.

"How is his control?" the Sandaime asked, an idea forming in his head.

"Excellent, I would say," Ren claimed with pride, "I had to go to a specialist to find out since Osa-kun can't perform normal control exercises, but the man told me he is already able to direct chakra to specific points on his body."

"Good," the Hokage said as he scribbled out a note, "I'm going to set up some additional training for him with an expert. She's only a chunin, but she excels in genjutsu."

Ren bowed deeply to her leader, "Thank you, Hokage-sama. When will he start?"

Calling a messenger bird to his window with a chakra laden trill, the Hokage took a moment before answering, "If I know Kurenai-san, she will test him today."

XxXxXxX

Kurenai looked at the note again, wondering why her leader would assign a first year academy student to special genjutsu training. Most kids that age couldn't even access their chakra, and the ones that could tended to blow it all in a single technique, if they knew any at all. Genjutsu required a very subtle touch.

Training a brat on top of escorting the Hyuga heiress to school and back would be a pain, but at least it would keep her in Konoha for an extended period so she could shore up her weak areas before the next Jonin Trial. The pay wasn't bad either. Whoever this kid was seemed to have decent backing.

She spotted him easily enough. Short as he was, it was hard to miss the amber, cat-like eyes and the speckled feline on his shoulder. Conveniently he was walking with her charge.

"So she leaps off the table to pounce on Zuki, but he's not there anymore. She ended up going face first into the cabinet," he seemed to be regaling the girl with a story about his cat.

"Collecting suitors already, Hinata-chan?" Kurenai asked nonchalantly. The girls head dipped down and a blush bloomed on her face.

"Osamu-kun, th-this is Ku-Kurenai-san," Hinata managed to sputter through her embarrassment, "Sh-she takes m-me t-to and f-from school."

The boy nodded to her respectfully, and cocked his head to the side, "I'm no ninja... not yet, but I think you should escort her yourself?"

"Whatever do you mean?" the black haired woman inquired.

"It's good, but my nee-san's cat can make better illusions," he told her with a smile. She noted he tried to keep his teeth mostly hidden. She dismissed her genjutsu, dispersing it in a cloud of butterflies. She saw Hinata's look of surprise as she dropped from her hiding place in a nearby tree.

"That was very good," she allowed, "but perhaps you should refrain from comparing a shinobi to someone's pet."

Laughter drew her attention behind her. She looked to see a young woman who could only be family to the cat-eyed boy. That made her Sakibou Ren; sister to her potential student.

"I see you two have met already," the shorter woman observed, "And that Osa-kun has managed to put his foot in his mouth."

"But it's true," the child protested, "Zuki can make better genjutsu than what I just saw."

"That's because she didn't use anything an idiot like you wouldn't be able to see through," the woman shot back, "This is Yuhi Kurenai, an expert in genjutsu. I have paid her to tutor you, but I'll understand if she backs out."

Kurenai considered doing just that, but when she looked back at her potential student he was bowed low.

"Forgive me, Kurenai-sensei, for my foolish words."

It sounded sincere enough, and the illusion actually should have been beyond him. It could be interesting to see how much he could really do.

"I suppose I can forgive you once," she conceded.

The boy gave her a big smile, again covering his teeth with his lips.

"Where are the other two monsters?" Ren asked, "You three are usually attached at the hips."

"Masaru got in trouble for a prank, and Hotaka fell asleep during afternoon classes," Osamu told her. She would find out soon anyway, "They have to stay late."

Ren sighed, "Natsumi-san is going to kill him when she gets back. I guess we'll wait for them."

"If you don't mind, I would like Osamu-kun to come with me," Kurenai said, "I want to see how much he knows."

Ren shrugged, "Sure. Watch the cat. She's a troublemaker."

Kurenai waved the two children on, and they were off towards the Hyuga estate.

XxXxXxX

Kurenai left the Sakibou residence after dropping off her new student. He hadn't known anything about genjutsu theory and had admitted as much, but he seemed to have an intuitive grasp of the way things worked. She could already tell he was going to be talented. Teaching him would also be great practice for when she had a team of her own.

She found herself looking forward to the experience. Perhaps the boy could even help her bring Hinata out of her shell. Only time would tell.


	9. The Uchihas' Fall

A/N: This chapter marks the end of part one. Next week will be an interlude. It didn't feel right as the end of one part or the beginning of another. I might end up missing a regular update soon as the end of the semester nears, but we'll burn that bridge when we come to it.

* * *

"Hey, hey, Itachi-kun," a flippant voice called out, "What's with the super-secret meetings?"

Itachi sighed. No matter how dire the situation, Shisui would always find a way to act an ass. Despite that, the dour teen greatly appreciated his older cousin's upbeat attitude. With the clan planning a coup, Itachi had found a like mind in his friend.

"Has Tou-san set a date?" Itachi got right to the point. Fugaku had been growing suspicious of him, so Itachi had been gleaning information from his cousin.

Shisui's easy smile fell from his face, and he nodded grimly, "He wants to strike in the next few days. I tried to point out that even if we succeed, Konoha will likely be attacked by another village."

Itachi ran a hand through his dark hair, "Thank you, Shisui-san, but I believe it is too late."

"What are you going to do?" his cousin asked with a bit of trepidation.

"What I must," he replied simply, "I will cripple the clan. Destroy it if I have to."

Shisui stared at the younger teen with a grim look, "Can you really do it?"

Itachi nodded and turned to leave.

"Do you need my help?" he heard his cousin ask.

He was about to respond in the negative when he felt an odd sensation run through his body. The image of a flame decorated mask floated before him.

_ 'Your cousin will need to die first,'_a voice buried in his memories said, _'That will give you the power you need.'_

He shook his head as if to dislodge the dark thought. He raised his hands to his temples. A pressure seemed to be building in his skull.

"You okay?"

The pressure disappeared suddenly, and he could think clearly again. He knew what had to be done.

"You actually can help me, Shisui," a part of him shivered at the coldness in his voice.

"How's that?" Shisui seemed to be on guard. That was good. This wouldn't be any fun if he just died.

XxXxXxX

Itachi came to with his hands tangled in his cousin's hair. It took him a moment to gain his bearings, but when he did, he fell back in disgusted surprise. Shisui was face down in the stream they had been meeting near. He wasn't moving either. The memory of the short fight came to him in pieces.

_Shisui__ barely dodged the slicing kunai, coming away with a torn shirt._

_ "What the hell, Itachi!?"_

_ Itachi remained silent. Words were pointless now..._

Itachi shook the images from his head and lunged forward. He turned Shisui over, but one look at the blue lips and bulging panicked eyes and he knew his cousin was gone.

_Shisui__ shunshined behind him. He was the fastest in the clan, maybe even the village, but he was still trying to reason wi__th his crazed cousin._

_ "What are you doing, Itachi?" he pleaded as he struck out with a subduing blow to the neck._

_ Itachi ducked under the indecisive strike and grabbed his cousin's wrist as it sailed over his head._

He felt a warm wetness rolling down his cheeks. Crying. He was crying.

Itachi lifted a leaden hand and wiped the tears from his face. When he brought the appendage away, he saw that it was bloodied. He was crying blood?

_Shisui__ struggled to raise his head above the water. It was a terrib__le way to go, drowning. His thrashing was pointless, though. Soon he began to jerk violently as water was reflexively sucked into his lungs. He stopped moving after that._

For reasons he couldn't fathom, Itachi took his cousin's body back to the stream. He allowed it to sink to the bottom, then left.

XxXxXxX

Fugaku sat in his office. He was extremely worried. Twenty-four hours ago, clansmen had found his nephew Shisui dead in a stream. The autopsy had revealed he had drowned, but the teen was a strong swimmer. A lack of weight to pull him down ruled out suicide. That left murder.

That didn't worry Fugaku so much. What worried him was his dissident of a son had been a ghost for over a day. The Uchiha leader knew for a fact that his eldest didn't have any missions, and was extremely suspect that he was gone right now.

As the day wore into evening his clansmen continued to report no signs of his son. Worry was slowly turning into a gnawing fear. Fugaku was by no means an unskilled shinobi, and one did not get as old as him without a healthy dose of paranoia. His eldest son had spoken out often against the plan, and now Fugaku wondered if he would come for him, end his reign.

Something, perhaps a danger sense honed over years of being a shinobi, made him stand from his desk. He pulled a kunai and activated his sharingan, the tomoe spinning fast in his agitated state. That's when he saw it, the genjutsu around him.

"Kai," he intoned, shattering the illusion.

It took him a moment to find what it had changed, but he soon realized that it was later than he had first thought. His study had no windows, but the clock and his own internal time-keeping kept him on schedule. He had somehow lost three hours of time. That was an eternity to a shinobi.

He tore out of his study and down the hall of his home. The sight that met him chilled him to the bone. His son stood there, the still dripping head of his grandfather in one hand, the sword of a Konoha ANBU in the other. The thing that scared him the most, were his sons eyes.

Itachi's eyes didn't have the tomoe of a basic sharingan, but three curved blades radiating from the center.

"You _did _kill Shisui," Fugaku said, astounded.

"Yes, Tou-san," he said tonelessly, "It is your turn now."

Fugaku backed up as his son stalked forward, "You think this will stand? The rest of the clan will..."

"The rest of the clan is dead," Itachi interrupted flatly, "All that remains is you, Kaa-san, and Sasuke-kun."

"B-b-but, why?" Fugaku's natural calm was beginning to crack.

"You were given a task," his eldest son explained in that same calm, cold voice, "You failed."

With those words, Itachi rushed forward with such blinding speed that even his father's sharingan couldn't keep up. He was suddenly face to face with his son. A pain was blooming in his gut, and he knew that Itachi's sword was now buried there. The pain doubled as his killer twisted the blade, then removed it.

"You should have listened to me, Tou-san," Itachi's seemed almost regretful, "The Hokage could have protected us."

Fugaku shook his head, "He is too powerful. I told them to kill the boy to remove his greatest weapon, but they wouldn't listen."

The elder Uchiha slid off the blade and fell to the floor, his lifeblood pooling about him. A scream drew Itachi's attention. Farther down the hall, his sleeping mother had awakened. His father must have destroyed the genjutsu he had placed over the house, then.

"Hello, kaa-san," he greeted, "I'm sorry you saw this. I had intended to end you in your sleep."

He stalked forward. She pressed up against the wall as he neared. Despite years of active service to the leaf, she felt terrified by her son. She was unable to move as he slipped his already bloody sword into her heart. He watched as the light left her eyes.

The sound of a sliding door called his attention behind him.

"Aniki?" a bleary Sasuke asked, "Whasat smell?"

For the first time that night, Itachi's heart clenched at what he was doing. His mind flat out rebelled at the idea of his brother dead.

"Why's Tou-san layin' in the floor?" the still clueless boy inquired, "And why is kaa-san so still?"

"Because they are dead, otouto," Itachi told him, releasing his hold on their mother's body to let it fall to the floor, "Because I killed them."

"W...what?" the word sounded strangled, "Aniki. Stop playing around. Get up Kaa-san... get up."

Itachi turned and looked at his brother. He seemed oddly calm. Perhaps he thought this was all a terrible dream.

"They can't get up, Sasuke-kun," Itachi said, "They are dead."

Itachi's hand tightened on the hilt of his blade. He could feel himself moving forward. He felt disconnected from what was going on. He suddenly stopped and shook his head.

_'He has to die,' _a voice sounded in his head.

_'I can't... not__ Sasuke,' _he countered.

A war was waged in Itachi's mind. A wave of disgust for what he had done that night rose in him. Yes he had planned something like this, but he had hoped to kill only key members of the clan. All the adults in a worst case scenario. His hands were covered in the blood of innocent children. Now only his brother stood. The only Uchiha left.

The boy was shivering under the crazed look of his elder brother. Itachi, beginning to understand the terrible urges in his mind took action.

"Look at you," he said with cold cruelty, "Your family dead, and all you can do is shake with fear. A weakling like the rest of them."

"The... the rest of them?"

"That's right," Itachi confirmed, "The whole clan is gone. We are all that remains."

The cruelty of his words were like knives in his own heart, but the corruption in his mind had to be sated. It was that or simply kill his brother. To save his last kin he would do something far worse than kill him.

"Would you like to see, otouto?" he asked, his sharingan spinning faster.

He activated the new power in his eyes for the first time. The pain was terrible, but he had been through worse. His instincts guided him in shaping a horrifying genjutsu; a view from his eyes of all the murder that he had committed that night, looping over and over.

Sasuke fell over, spittle foaming from his mouth as he twitched pitifully on the floor.

Itachi stepped over his brother, not daring to look for fear of what he might do. He stepped out into the night and fled.

XxXxXxX

It was happening again. Another place, another time, another massacre.

Hiroto peered around. He had joined the other high ranking shinobi in looking for survivors. The lower ranked ninja were acting as a cordon for the bloody Uchiha district.

He had to constantly remind himself that he had no hand in this bloody mess. It was difficult, though. Everywhere he looked he saw the mutilated corpses of Sakibou clansmen. Unlike that distant horrible night, there were no sounds of suffering, no cries from the dying. Because unlike that night, the perpetrator had been brutally efficient. Heads removed, throats cut, hearts pierced. There was no gleeful torture, just quick death.

Hiroto paused as he experienced another flashback. He saw again the man whose eyes had been carefully pulled from their sockets to dangle from their optic nerves. The fresh jonin swallowed the vomit that had risen to his mouth. He would not lose his composure here. He checked the body that had triggered his memory and found his throat torn out. He sighed as he arranged the body lying down with arms crossed to show it had been checked.

He heard the cry that had been so horribly absent all night, "MEDIC!"

Someone had finally found a survivor.

Before he could turn to go investigate, he caught something in his peripheral vision. Turning to it, he saw a man wearing a black cloak and a strange white mask bearing a single eye hole. The rest was decorated with flames. Hiroto swore he saw a flash of red from that hole, and in that moment the man was gone. It was as if he had never been there at all.

He wondered for a moment if he had been hallucinating again. He had spent a good portion of the night seeing visions from his past, but where did that man fit in. He shook the thoughts away and headed for where the cry had come from.

He arrived at a large house and found Kakashi inside crouched over a young boy.

"What's his status?" Hiroto asked, his hands already beginning to glow with healing energy. He was no medic, but he did have a better knowledge of the art than most other jonin.

"I haven't found a single injury on him," Kakashi said, a bit bewildered, "But he won't respond."

A real medic arrived moments later and examined the boy. His greater knowledge of medicine and the various horrible things shinobi could do to a person allowed him to find the problem.

"He's been subjected to a very powerful genjutsu," the man said, "I'll get him to the hospital and send for a Yamanaka. They're experts in mental trauma."

After the medic left with the catatonic child, Hiroto took a good look around, "Isn't that Fugaku?"

Kakashi nodded grimly, "His wife is dead too."

"What about the other son?" the junior jonin asked, "The one that made ANBU."

"No signs of him," the silver haired cyclops said, "Word is he's been missing all day."

"You don't think..."

Kakashi shook his head, "No clue. An ANBU team is investigating reports of someone hopping the wall near here. Likely one of the people responsible for this."

"It's just like before," Hiroto said, mostly to himself.

"You talking about the massacre of that cat-user clan in the Land of Lightning?"

Hiroto nodded grimly, "The kills were cleaner here... but it feels the same to me."

"How so?" Kakashi prodded. He only knew bits and pieces of Hiroto's story. A drunken comment from Hiroto here. An offhand remark by Asuma there. He understood why the bland looking jonin kept it to himself, but if his past experience could somehow shed light on this tragedy...

"It's hard to explain," Hiroto said after gathering his thoughts, "Maybe I'm just transposing my memories. I've been having flashbacks all night."

"Go get some rest, Hiroto-san," Kakashi offered with sympathy, "The rest of us can finish up here."

Hiroto nodded numbly, and left the Uchiha compound. He tried very hard not to look at any of the bodies. He managed to get home before the damn of his emotions finally burst. He sat huddled against his door as the guilt he had managed to bury for years resurfaced to assail him anew.

Hours later found him at the small table where he and Naruto shared meals. A stack of sketch paper was steadily growing next to him as he poured the disturbing images of the night onto the pages. As the sun rose, he hid away the new sketches with the old ones in his closet.

He hoped sincerely that Naruto would never see them, or anything like them in his lifetime.

XxXxXxX

Ren hurried down the halls of the hospital, her yawning brother in tow. She was immensely nervous, but hid it from Osamu to keep his questions to a minimum. She prayed he wouldn't turn his reikimokushi on her.

Even with her akumamokushi muted she felt them. Hundreds of demons were gathered in Konoha tonight, drawn by the collected fear and the carnage that had taken place.

The Hokage had contacted her to ask a very large favor. He had kept details sketchy, but Ren knew what had happened that night. She had found more than one imp more than willing to gush about the slaughter. A single survivor had been found amongst the bodies of the Uchiha clan, but he was in a state of catatonia. Even Yamanaka hijutsu were proving unfruitful in attempting to treat the boy.

They finally found the room, guarded by a pair of ANBU. She said nothing to them, just handing over the scroll the Hokage had given her. They both looked it over and nodded, allowing the Sakibou to pass through. Ren stopped short, feeling a large presence in the room. She brushed it off. The demon was still well behind the veil that separated real from spiritual. She would send it away after her brother was gone.

"You are my help?" an older man asked, slightly incredulous, "A civilian and an academy student?"

She eyed him. He was tall and dressed in blue/gray pants and button-up shirt. He wore a long black overcoat and combat boots. His hitai-ate kept his unruly blonde hair at bay in the front and it was tied in a pony tail in the back. His blue-green eyes met her yellow-green ones. She noted a ring he wore that bore the leaf of Konoha. She looked closer and smiled.

"Inoichi-sama," Ren said respectfully, flashing the brooch that she normally kept in her pocket, "I assure you the Hokage would not have sent us if he did not believe we could help."

Inoichi's eyes widened the slightest amount on seeing her mark. He nodded and stepped to the side, revealing the form of the survivor.

"That's Sasuke-san," Osamu said with a start, "What's wrong with him?"

"He was attacked," Inoichi said, explaining in only the broadest terms, "A genjutsu I believe, but one unlike any I have ever seen before."

"The Hokage mentioned you were unable to mind dive him," Ren prompted.

He nodded gravely, "There is a mass of powerful emotions swirling in his mind. It would shred my own to pieces if I were to go in there."

"Fear," Osamu said, looking on with his aura sight unsupressed, "Confusion, grief, anger... hatred," he said that last with a bit of trepidation, "There is a lot of hate in his aura, Nee-san."

Ren nodded, "Thank you, Osa-kun. Go outside and go back home with Zuki," she ordered. He was still unskilled with his abilities, and had a good chance of making things worse. She had another idea, "Do not leave his side."

Osamu nodded and left.

"He can read emotions?" Inoichi asked with interest.

Ren nodded, "He can feel auras," she explained, "I don't want him fiddling with that boy's emotions if you won't even brave them, though."

Inoichi raised an eyebrow, "This doesn't help me much..."

"I have another method," Ren told him, "but it will be rather... unusual. I would ask you not to mention what you see here tonight to anyone."

The Yamanaka nodded to her, "Do what you need to."

Ren went through a series of hand seals she had learned long ago from her father when he had discovered she could see demons. He had alluded to the fact that the technique would work on kami as well when she had developed that sight, but warned her not to attempt it. At the end she directed her chakra to the entity who had been content to sit in the corner of the room. It started with surprise when the chakra enveloped it, bringing it partially through the veil.

She knew she was successful when she saw Inoichi assume a battle stance, "What is a demon doing here!?" he asked in a tight voice.

"It was attracted by the carnage," Ren answered, holding out her arm to try and stay the agitated shinobi.

It had reddish brown skin, akin to rust in color, and a single jaundice-yellow eye above a flat, almost nonexistent, nose. There were no lips to speak of, instead showing a set of yellowish fangs that formed a permanent mockery of a smile. The monster's head had no hair, instead hosting a field of stubby black spikes.

Its body was massive in all directions. It was forced to duck down to fit in the room; fully extended the demon would stand nearly ten feet in height. The span of its shoulders was greater than the tallest shinobi in Konoha. Massive arms extended down farther than proportion would normally allow and were heavily muscled. Its legs were similar, looking more like small trees than the limbs of a mobile being. It was wearing naught but the skin of some unknown beast over its crotch.

"Can smell you fear, human," It growled out, sounding like rocks scraping together. Ren was honestly surprised it could talk right without lips, "Come give Hitoare good battle."

"There will be no fighting," she told it, "You know what I am."

The demon eyed her with its single huge orb, "Spirit Talker," it scoffed, "Hitoare not fear you."

Ren scowled and flashed through another set of hand seals, "_Korameshime no Jutsu,_" The creature fell to its knees and its eye rolled back into its skull. Its mouth hung open in a silent scream. Ren let it suffer for a few seconds before ending the jutsu.

The beast heaved back to its feet, a look of pure hate directed at the little woman, "What you want, Spirit Talker?" it spat out.

"Why are you following the boy?" she asked it.

"Is good food," it explained as if it were obvious.

"Food?" Inoichi asked, inching closer to the supine boy.

"He means his emotions," Ren explained, "Oni, like Hitoare here, feed on negative emotions."

The demon nodded, "Give strength to Hitoare."

"He will feed on them until he is powerful enough to kill an older oni and consume its essence," she told the older man.

"You not stop!" the oni said vehemently.

"Actually," Ren said with a smile, "I want you to gorge."

"What?" the demon and Inoichi said at the same time.

"I want you to take in as much of his fear, hate, and anger as you can," she told it, "That should calm his mind enough for you, Inoichi-sama."

"Will slow Hitoare," the demon stated, contemplating her request, "Make fat."

"I will protect you from your kin until you are fast again," Ren offered, "Do especially well and I may call you to battle."

The demon leaned forward eagerly, "Hitoare not battle in human world since great fox," it said excitedly, "Agree."

"This was one of the demons that attacked Konoha with the fox?" Inoichi asked in surprise.

Ren shrugged, "I couldn't tell you. I wasn't here."

"If it had not been for these creatures," the clan leader explained, "We wouldn't have lost half the people we did. The fox was dangerous, but it was only one being."

"We find hole. We go through to fight," Hitoare explained.

Ren turned to the older man, "He cannot harm anyone without help through the veil. I can let him through, but he will be bound to my will."

Inoichi nodded his understanding, "Very well. Do what you must."

She pulled forth one of the kunai she always kept on her and sliced her thumb. Charging the blood with chakra, she went through some hand signs, "_Musubu__ no Jutsu. _Taste my blood and know me, Hitoare. You are now my warrior."

The blood flew from her thumb to the demon's waiting maw. He shivered as it touched his tongue, "Hitoare has taste. Will come when call."

"Now consume," she ordered.

Inoichi had seen many strange things in his time diving into the minds of others. He allowed that few could top the sight of an oni drawing in the dark miasma of Sasuke's negative feelings. It opened its mouth and a dark swirling vapor came off of the child. It quickly flowed into Hitoare, disappearing into his waiting gullet. This went on for nearly a minute before the now bloated demon stopped.

"Not take more," it ground out.

Ren nodded to it, "Stay close," she turned to Inoichi as the oni faded from sight, "I hope that is enough."

"You have some rather interesting hijutsu. You _did _just bind a demon by promising to call it to battle, right?" he asked in slight amazement.

"Oni live for battle," she explained with a shrug, "Shinobi are the strongest warriors of our realm. He wants to test himself against them, but has no way through the veil. I can provide that."

"You are farmore than you seem, Ren-san," he told her. What he had seen had blown many of his notions about the world away. He turned to Sasuke and attempted to again enter his mind. He found it much calmer than before.

"Thank you," he told her, "I can work with this. You may go."

Ren bowed slightly and left the mentalist to his work.

XxXxXxX

"How is he?" Sarutobi asked wearily.

"Better now," Inoichi told him, "I managed to enter his mind and repair some of the damage from the genjutsu. Without Ren-san, though, I would never have gotten in there."

"I am glad she was able to aid you," the Hokage said.

"Her method worries me somewhat..."

"How so?"

"She..." Inoichi felt a slight twinge of guilt tattling on the young women, "She got a demon to eat his emotions to calm his mind."

The old man's brows went up, "Did she now? I knew she could see the spirits, but I didn't think she could order them about."

"You knew about this?" Inoichi asked incredulously, "She bound the oni to her will by promising it battle, Hokage-sama. Those things nearly overran the village."

"I trust her," the leader said simply.

"So I saw," Inoichi stated, recalling her watcher's mark, "In any case, I found confirmation of your suspicions."

"So Itachi-kun did do this..."

"It seems that way," the Yamanaka replied, "The boy walked in just as Itachi slew their mother. The bastard then used some strange power from his eyes to cast a genjutsu on Sasuke. It... it showed him the deaths of all his kinsmen over and over again."

"What happened to you Itachi-kun?" the Hokage asked rhetorically, "You may go, Inoichi-san. Thank you for your help tonight."

With a nod, the Yamanaka patron was gone.

XxXxXxX

Itachi came to a halt. He could hear the ocean in the distance, waves crashing ashore. He felt odd, like he was two different people with two different sets of goals. His current goal was to evade the ANBU team after him. No wait... that wasn't it. He was avoiding the masked man, wasn't he? Why was he outside of Konoha anyway?

The memories flooded back to him. It hadn't been the first time he had forgotten, but they still tore at his heart just as badly. Like the other times, he considered simply throwing himself on his sword, but something, the other him, kept him from that course.

"My, my," he heard from behind him, "You truly are talented, I've been looking for you for days."

He turned to see the man that he had been trying to avoid. He tried to draw his blade and strike out at the devil-spawn, but again, some compulsion stayed his hand.

"Difficult isn't it," he could hear the smile, even if that damnable mask hid it, "Can't even take revenge on me for forcing you to do what you had planned for in the first place."

"I had intended for the youngest to live," Itachi spat, the circumstances forcing emotion out of the normally implacable teen, "I at least left Sasuke-kun alive."

"That you did," the masked man agreed, "But your little rebellion leaves me with a ready spare."

"Don't you dare go near him," Itachi growled. His hand twitched toward the hilt of his sword.

"Oh my," he said in mock astonishment, "I do believe little Sasuke-chan is a soft spot for you. Funny... it didn't seem that way when you cast that little _Tsukiyomi _on him."

It was true, and Itachi had hated himself for it, "What have you done to me?"

"Planted a seed in your mind," he explained, "One that has grown into quite the brutal killer. I honestly expected explosives or a mass poisoning, but you cut them all down with that blade. Quite the show."

The urge to kill himself rose again, "What do you want from me?"

"Hmm..." the masked man made a show of thinking, "I suppose you could be useful to me still. Tell you what. You work for me, and I'll leave precious Sasuke-chan alone. How does that sound?"

It didn't sound at all like the truth to Itachi, but what choice did he have? Perhaps with time he could find a way to undo whatever terrible thing had been done to him.

"Very well," he agreed.

"Good!" the masked man exclaimed, "There is a small hidden base west of here where an associate of mine is residing. Tell him Madara sent you."


	10. Interlude

When Tenzo saw the gates of Konoha, he sighed in relief. This had been a long, tedious, and all around weird mission. He looked at the other ANBU disguised as normal chunin and wondered again how much money it had cost their employer to get six ANBU for a _business trip. _Granted this trip would give Konoha its first ever chakra tree.

What really bothered him about the employer was the flippant way she talked to everyone. She had walked into the Hokage's office unannounced while he was on guard duty and 'requested' the services of _'that tree growing Senju splicer you been hidin' in ANBU.' _After the client had explained why she needed the mokuten wielder, the Hokage had declared her trip an S-rank mission and immediately assigned an over strength ANBU squad to it.

Tenzo had been amazed at the pull the woman had. As soon as he had gotten off duty, he had gone to research her.

Hibaku Natsumi. Retired tokubetsu jonin. Left service due to unrelated disability. Missions completed: one hundred five D-rank, one hundred seventy C-rank, fifty-three B-rank, forty-seven A-rank, one S-rank. Skills: Ninjutsu C-rank, Genjutsu C-rank, Taijutsu C-rank, Weapons B-rank, Peripheral skills S-rank.

He had gone through her mission reports to find that she was _the _'Faceless Death Natsumi.' ANBU still used the methods she had pioneered for ambushing and trapping. She wasn't nearly as legendary as the Yellow Flash, but her role in the third war had been nearly as pivotal.

She had led a team of eleven other tokujo and chunin in the wilds of the isthmus that connected the Land of Fire to the Land of Lightning. The Hokage had sent her to screen for possible attacks from Kumo while the majority of Konoha's forces were tied up with Iwa. The preparation had proved necessary, and the choice of shinobi fortuitous. The team, under Natsumi's expert guidance, had created a killing field that had decimated Kumo's invasion force of five hundred shinobi. Kumo had immediately backed off with nearly two thirds of their fighting force gone.

The amazing victory had been lost in the noise made over Minato's amazing gains, but Natsumi's name had gone down in Kumo bingo books as an A-rank enemy. To this day, they still lacked a picture or even a description of her. It had earned her that rather morbid nickname.

She didn't seem to mind at all. She and her husband managed to wrangle the reputation they had earned into a very successful business. Even with her husband dead, she remained the primary supplier of trap kits in Konoha, and a major supplier for storage seals as well. If the scuttlebutt at ANBU HQ was to be believed, she had helped to revamp and upgrade Konoha's defenses as well. It wasn't too out of the question; Hibaku Natsumi was the single richest person in the village, and in the top ten for the Land of Fire.

So Tenzo wasn't too surprised when the Hokage had jumped at the chance to give the woman what she wanted. Which meant he and five other disguised ANBU guarding a minor living legend out to the Land of Forests to fetch a tree.

Tenzo had been confused about his presence until Natsumi had picked her tree. She had passed up all the healthy looking saplings offered to her and chosen the biggest damn tree in the grove. At which point she had looked at Tenzo and asked, '_Can you get it back?' _He had just shrugged, to which she had said, _'Well. Do what you can. I'll just take it out of your pay if it dies.'_

So here he was, sitting on the roots of a thirty foot tall tree that was sitting in a large wagon pulled by twelve oxen. He had never been so tired, but he had also never been quite so proud of himself. He had kept the tree healthy for nearly three weeks as they traveled. Another hour brought them inside the gates, and a few minutes later had them at her home.

"Alright, Tenzo-san," Natsumi called to him, "Walk it around back, I got a pit all ready for it to go in."

He nodded mutely, and with a surge of chakra animated the mass of roots. He went slow to prevent major damage, but soon had the chakra tree in the hole Natsumi indicated. She filled it in herself with a Doton technique.

"Gather round, boys," she called to the guards, "Its bonus time."

The ANBU exchanged curious glances as they gathered around the trap master. She was scribbling out checks like a pro. She handed them out, and the ANBU began exclaiming in astonishment.

"What?" she asked jokingly as she filled out the last check for Tenzo, "Fifty thousand not enough? Clear out you workaholics. Have some fun for once."

The guards did just that, heading in to report back to the Hokage. Natsumi waited until they were gone to hand Tenzo his check. Peering at it, he started.

"A quarter of a million?" he asked in disbelief.

"You did a great job, kid," she told him, "I expected half the leaves to be gone by now, but the damn thing looks _better._"

She shooed him off before he could recover enough to try to decline the payment. He made it back to the tower in good order.

"Tenzo-san," the Hokage greeted, "I heard the mission went well."

"I hope so," the young man responded, "She gave me a huge bonus."

The old man nodded, "I can give you a day off, but I need you back on duty after that."

"What's going on?" Tenzo asked. It was standard for ANBU off of long missions to receive at least three days of leave.

"Too much," his leader said tiredly, "Far too much."

XxXxXxX

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since that terrible night. His grief had run dry the first week. All he really felt now was an empty numbness. He found that slightly odd. He would have expected to feel hatred or at least anger. All that remained, though, was a hollow feeling in his chest.

That first night had been the worst. Waking up in an unfamiliar place with a strange man over him. He had asked in vain hope if it had all been a dream. The blonde man had simply shaken his head sadly and informed him that he was the only one left. The only Uchiha left in Konoha.

The man, Yamanaka Inoichi he called himself, came back and spoke to him every other day. Asking him questions. Sasuke had given mostly one word answers or grunts in response, but the clan patron had seemed satisfied that he answered at all.

He heard the door to his hospital room open. It wasn't the usual time they brought him food he barely touched, or the usual day for Inoichi to come by. Curiosity broke through his apathy, and he turned his head to see who had walked in.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "I hope I am not intruding."

Despite his young age and his general lack of interest in anything, he understood that the Hokage visiting him was rather unusual.

"I suppose you are wondering why I am here," his confusion must have shown on his face, "I have come to discuss certain matters with you."

Sasuke merely stared, waiting for the man to get on with it.

"A memorial service is being held for your clan in general," the old man explained, "Certain key members, such as your father, will have separate ceremonies. Is this acceptable?"

"Why are you asking me?" he wondered aloud.

"Because you are the only representative of your clan left," Sarutobi explained sadly.

"Do what you want," the eight-year old told him.

The Hokage nodded, "Very well. The services will be held a week from today. There is also the matter of your discharge."

Sasuke grunted in an inquisitive way.

"I am afraid you cannot continue to take up the resources of the hospital," the aged leader said, "I have arranged for you to have someone to assist you at home."

Something about having someone nanny him broke through his apathy and struck at the pride his father had instilled in him, "I don't need a babysitter."

"You have barely eaten in the past two weeks," the Sandaime explained, "The doctors are worried you'll starve yourself to death."

That much was true, "I will start eating," he allowed.

"Good...you still have a week to turn them around on the idea."

Sasuke nodded in relief. What would his father think if he required a nanny.

"I have also enrolled you in school," the Hokage went on.

"I'm already going to the academy," the boy said, confused.

"I'm afraid Inoichi-san has determined through his visits with you that you are no longer mentally capable of being a shinobi," the Hokage explained.

Sasuke turned his face back up to the ceiling. What counter did he have for that. Here he was, wasting away in the hospital while others made decisions for him. His father would have been disgusted. He was acting like a weak fool when he should have been trying to honor the memory of his clan; when he should have been training to bring vengeance to their murderer. He felt a tiny spark flare in his chest. A tiny bit of anger about what had happened. He sat up fully and turned to face the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama," he began as formally as he could, "Please allow me to continue to train as a shinobi."

The old man considered him for a moment, "And what is your motivation?"

"To honor my clan," he said quietly, "to resurrect it as only a shinobi can. To exact revenge on the one who tried to end it."

The Sandaime looked into his eyes, and damned if Sasuke didn't feel as if those wise old orbs weren't peering into his soul.

"You will continue to see Inoichi-san on a monthly basis," the Hokage told him, "If at the time of your graduation he feels you are still too unstable, you will be barred from the corps. Understood?"

Sasuke bowed his head in thanks, "Clearly, Hokage-sama."

XxXxXxX

Gai looked on as the widow of an old rival stalked amongst the training students, looking for the slightest errors in stance or execution. She stopped at a young girl and adjusted an outstretched arm up with one of her crutches, whispering tips as she did. He saw the girl's stance come more naturally after that. He marveled at the strength of the woman, carrying on despite her immobile legs, despite the loss of her husband. Truly she was an inspiration to him.

She spotted him standing near a tree at the edge of the training yard. Leaving the students in the hands of the chunin instructors, she hobbled up to him.

"You're awfully quiet, Gai-san," she greeted jovially, "Expected you to be in hysterics about the Power of Youth already."

Gai struck one his best Nice Guy poses, "Fear not, Mayu-san, I am merely showing my Great Respect for your Most Youthful Teaching."

The blocky woman laughed, "It's good to see you. You should come by and meet my boy."

"I am sorry I haven't yet," Gai's voice became uncharacteristically quiet and lost its unusual cadence, "After Eiji-senpai fell, it was... he should have my title, Mayu-san."

Mayu just shook her head and poked Gai in the chest with a crutch, "Is that survivor's guilt I hear. You know Eiji respected you as an equal despite the age difference. Come see my boy. He'd like to meet a friend of his father."

"Then I will do so," the Green Beast responded, "What did you wish to show me here, Mayu-san?"

She turned back to the students who were now going through katas to warm up for sparring, "Pick out the three best ones."

He considered the second year academy students, his eyes quickly picking apart their disparate styles, "The Hyuga boy knows his clan style very well. The girl with the buns looks like she would do better with a blade in hand, but her form is still solid."

His eyes roved more, finally settling on a dark haired boy with thick eyebrows, "But that one..."

A boy with wild black hair and thick eyebrows was moving as if he were years ahead of the rest of his class.

"What about him?" Mayu asked nonchalantly, but he could tell she had a vested interest in him.

"His form is perfect," Gai said, "He holds none of the stiffness that many students have even when they have the forms correct. What have you been teaching that boy?"

"Due to a medical condition he is incapable of performing genjutsu or ninjutsu," she explained, "When the instructors do practical exercises in those areas, he is released to me for additional taijutsu practice."

"That explains it," the taijutsu master said, "but how does he plan to graduate?"

"I was hoping you could help me with that," Mayu told him, "The Hokage is willing to waive certain requirements for him if he can get a jonin willing to take him on as a genin."

Gai raised a thick eyebrow, watching the boy. He saw nothing but determination in his eyes. It reminded him of Eiji. The older boy had fallen behind Gai in power in only a few years, but not for lack of skill. Gai was simply stronger than his senpai, and Goken had always favored strength over all else. Eiji had never given up on beating Gai, but had died on the same night his wife had been crippled.

From what Gai had seen of his friend's new style, they would have had a most youthful battle. It wasn't to be, though.

"You are asking me to put my Hard Earned Reputation on the line, Mayu-san," he said, falling back into his odd speech pattern.

The woman nodded, "I realize that, but this kid has boundless potential. He will not give up on being a shinobi... It's his dream."

"It sounds as if he has found his Flames of Youth," the man said, a glint in his eye, "I shall give him a chance. We shall see what this boy can do."

She smiled and called out, "Lee-kun. Come here. I've got someone for you to meet."

XxXxXxX

Aburame Shibi was a highly logical and intelligent man. He had a problem, however. Ever since the attack of the Kyuubi, his clan had been in a financial struggle. Collateral damage caused by the strange beings many had called demons that had appeared shortly after the fox had decimated their various business ventures. Bee farms had been destroyed, and their silk worm population had been killed. Luckily for the beleaguered bug users, their experimental kikaichuu hives had been kept in underground bunkers for both protection and secrecy.

Restoring his clan's financial stability had been difficult. New bee colonies had been established, but it would take years to selectively breed them to produce the various kinds of honey that had padded Aburame accounts with money. Silk worms were a greater challenge. Finding anyone willing to part with enough for a breeding stock had proven impossible. The clan was on the lookout for wild silk worms, but had not yet found any that produced the quality silk weavers demanded.

Business had never been a strong point for Shibi or his clan in general, but they had realized they needed financial aid to weather the rough times. So the clan leader had logically asked for help. The first to step forward hadn't been another clan, as Shibi had thought it would be, but a single woman. A woman with a lot of money.

Natsumi was as ruthless in business as she had been on the battlefield, but she had cut the Aburame a very good deal. She had given them a large amount of money in return for a cut of their profits once they started making them again. An 'investment' she called it.

It was because of this, that when a messenger bird had arrived asking that he send over one of his 'bug boys' to look at something for her, he had decided to go himself. He could hear her cane tapping out an even rhythm as she approached her door to let him in.

"Well this is a surprise," she said when she saw him, "Expected one of your drones."

His eyebrows rose ever so slightly above his dark glasses at the quip, but otherwise ignored it, "After the help you gave my clan, it is only logical for me to return the favor if I am able."

"Fair enough," she allowed, "This'll actually save some time. Follow me."

He did so, noting that her house was rather small, considering her large bank account. They made their way through a comfortable looking living room, then through a messy looking workshop twice its size.

"Mind your feet," she warned, "Boy's been experimenting again. No telling what wild contraptions are lying about."

"You have been passing along your knowledge?" Shibi asked conversationally.

"Sure have," she replied proudly, "Brat made his first explosive a few days back."

They exited the back of the house into a simple garden. Farther out he could see the blasted landscape of the infamous Hibaku Proving Grounds. Natsumi owned almost half of the fox district, using land no one else wanted to test her latest toys before offering them to the local shinobi as merchandise.

She brought him to a large tree. An oak from the look of it, but his bugs were reacting to it strangely.

"This is a chakra tree," he stated, "I had heard you acquired one, but did not expect to see a fully grown specimen."

The wily woman gave him a smile, "Neither did them fools in the Land of Trees. Got 'em to quote me a price. They thought I was looking for a sapling, and low balled. Should have seen the looks on their faces when I carted off their seeding tree."

"Your business exploits are quite impressive," he told here mildly, "But what does this have to do with me?"

"Go look up in the branches and tell me what you see," she told him.

He did so, and was about to needlessly mention all the branches and leaves when he noticed something very interesting.

"Are those silkworms?" he asked, the tiniest hint of excitement in his voice.

"Yep," Natsumi confirmed, "Took some of their silk to a local weaver, too. Said it was the finest stuff he'd ever seen."

"You do not have the proper facilities or knowledge to benefit from them," he reasoned out, "You wish for my clan to take them and breed them and provide you with some of the money we make."

"Close," she allowed, "I actually want their silk. About a tenth of what you produce."

"Why the silk?" he asked.

"It channels and stores chakra like you wouldn't believe," the Hibaku told him, "I can do interesting things with chakra conductive fabric."

"That is very interesting," Shibi said, "This arrangement is acceptable to me. I will send some of my clansmen to collect the silk worms."

"Good," she smiled, "Let me know when the little bugs start producing."

* * *

A/N: Hello readers. This 'chapter' is more of a few scenes that didn't fit the feel of the last chapter in Part 1, but fell chronologically near it. I decided to post it as an interlude, instead of forcing it in with the last chapter. Part 2 will start next week, and we will finally see what Team 5 is capable of.

On another note, I am changing up my format. Obviously my notes are now after the chapter. I am also going to start posting formal descriptions of certain characters, techniques, and items. They will never give away future plot points, but should give you a consolidated description of certain things. I am going to start with a character I've had fun writing.

Hibaku Natsumi  
Rank: Tokubetsu Jonin (Retired, Disabled)  
Gender: Female  
Birth Date: February 18  
Hair: Grey  
Eyes: Brown  
Height: 5' 4" (162.5 cm)  
Weight: 125 lbs (56.7 kg)  
Hibaku Natsumi is the mother of Masaru. She is known for her excellently engineered traps and ambushes. She is also a talented chemist, and produces the only known chemical based explosives in Konoha. She holds a grudge against her late husband.


	11. Graduation

The incredulous stares of his peers was beginning to make Kakashi slightly nervous. Not that he would ever admit to such an emotion.

"What?" he asked nonchalantly, pulling out the book he had come here to retrieve to cover up his unease.

Asuma peered at his watch, then made a show of rubbing his eyes and checking again. Frankly, the silver-haired jonin thought it a little over done. Next to him an amused Hiroto was shaking slightly with barely contained mirth. He regretted ever recommending the generalists promotion... it had gone to his head.

"You're only ten minutes late," Asuma mock whispered, disbelief evident in his tone. Many of the other jonin present gasped in horror, as if an immutable law of the universe had just been bent, if not broken.

"How did you manage this?" Asuma had turned to the now sniggering Hiroto.

The bland man smiled proudly, "I just st-OOMPH," he was cut off mid-sentence by a casual elbow to the gut. Never mind Kakashi had added enough chakra to rupture the cat-summoner's spleen. It was a testament to Hiroto's reaction time that it didn't. Pity.

"He just reminded me of the meeting is all," Kakashi told them, his one visible eye scrunching in an otherwise unseen smile as his elbow dug even deeper into Hiroto's midsection.

An amused snort was heard coming from somewhere amongst the gathered jonin. There were fifteen of them in all, including Kurenai, who had achieved the rank not even a month prior.

Not long after the unusually early arrival of a certain cyclops, the aged leader of Konoha entered from a side door with a stack of folders. He paused upon seeing Kakashi, then looked out of the large windows of his office.

"No pigs flying," he said to himself. He nodded his head at the one-eyed man, "Someone seize that man. He is obviously an imposter."

"Haha," Kakashi said sarcastically, his one eye rolling, "I'm not two hours late. The universe is on its head. Can we get on with the meeting?"

"Never mind," the Hokage retracted his earlier order with a smirk, "That's him."

The old man had to wait for the laughter to die down before launching into the reason for the meeting.

"As you know, the next class of academy students will be graduating soon..." a series of pained groans sounded from the gathered shinobi, much to the Hokage's wry amusement, "Please. You act like the lot of you weren't insufferable at that age."

"I have the projected teams here," he continued, beginning to hand out the folders, "I've worked with the academy instructors to make teams with specific purposes in mind."

"I thought teams were constructed for balance," Kurenai stated as she took her folder, "Top of the class with the bottom..."

"We are stepping away from that practice," the leader explained, pulling out his pipe and prepping it for a good smoke, "It has been suggested since the Third War that we build specialized teams. Scouting, combat, support, and so on. This batch of genin will be a test run for that."

"You should field any complaints or concerns now," he added after explaining the new system.

The red-eyed beauty frowned as she went through her team file, "Not the Sakibou boy?"

Lighting his pipe and taking a few quick puffs, the Sandaime nodded to her, "You have done exceptionally well teaching the child, but I felt his skills were better aligned for infiltration. I built you the best scouting team I could from the candidates. I believe Hinata-chan will flourish under you, in particular."

Kurenai nodded her understanding and made her way out of the office to research her future students further. Many of the other jonin were also filtering out, looking over their own files.

Hiroto groaned as he opened his folder to see a picture of the target of the previous discussion.

"I understand why she didn't get him, but why did I?" he almost whined. For years he had been avoiding the boy's older sister. Just seeing her brought bile to his throat from the memories of that night. Yet he still looked in on them from time to time.

"You were the best candidate for the infiltration team," his leader explained reasonably, "While a number of my jonin beat you in various areas of expertise that would suit such a group, none of them have the breadth of knowledge you do, and knowledge is the greatest asset on an infiltration mission."

Hiroto looked with ill-disguised desperation at the other two jonin in the office, "Both Asuma-san and Kakashi-san have more experience than me... surely one of them could lead this team."

The Hokage shook his head, "They most likely could. Kakashi especially, but Asuma is better suited to a tactical support team. Kakashi is taking on the heavy combat squad due to his vast repertoire of combat jutsu."

"You certainly loaded me for bear," the lazy jonin drawled, thumbing through his thicker than normal folder, "Uchiha Sasuke. Top of the class. Particular aptitude in ninjutsu and precision strikes. Sakura Haruno. Sharp mind. Best chakra control in the class. She should make a good support ninja... maybe a medic or genjutsu artist. Well, well, well. The jinchuuriki, Hokage-sama?"

"His name is Naruto," Hiroto said vehemently, "He's not some damn weapon."

"Whoa there, Hiroto-san," Kakashi put his free hand up in a placating gesture, "No offense meant. I got nothing against the brat. He'll actually be a great asset if my team is meant for heavy combat."

Hiroto seemed to calm down after those words. Kakashi let out a quiet sigh of relief. Despite his seniority to the bland looking man, Kakashi knew a fight between the two would be uncomfortably close.

"At least you don't have a Nara," Asuma piped in after the situation seemed to be diffused, "This Shikimaru kid'll probably have my test figured out in under an hour."

"Test?" Hiroto asked curiously, "We test them?"

He thought back to his own genin days in Kumogakure. It disturbed him slightly that he couldn't seem to recall his own graduation from the academy there. He shook off the feeling to listen to his peer's answer.

"Sure," Asuma said, stowing his folder underneath an arm to light up a cigarette, "This is your first team right?"

Hiroto nodded his affirmation.

"Well... you don't really have to," the bearded man allowed, blowing a smoke ring in the air, "It's your right to test 'em, though. I use the 'impossible task' scenario. I give them a seemingly possible, but extremely difficult looking task. In truth, it isn't possible to accomplish. Those that give up without figuring it out fail. So do the ones that take too long to figure it out."

"They have to realize their limitations," Hiroto reasoned.

"Exactly," Asuma confirmed. He then looked at their masked counterpart and grinned, "Tell him about the bell test."

Hiroto caught the evil gleam in his counterpart's eye, and he suddenly felt sorry for his little brother.

"Simple really," Kakashi explained, "Two bells. I tell them they have to get a bell to pass the test."

The cat summoner shook his head, "Kids that age won't get that they need to work together to even hope to get a bell. You want to see if they can work for the greater good."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, "You got it. So that give you an idea of what to do?"

Hiroto thought for a moment and nodded, "Actually I do have an idea, but I need to speak with the Hokage about it. I'll see you guys later."

Asuma and Kakashi left to see their assigned teams in action while Hiroto stood his ground and waited for the Hokage to acknowledge him. The aged leader had been going over some paperwork while two of his most senior jonin imparted their advice on the junior member of the corps. He looked up to meet Hiroto's hazel eyes.

"What is it you need, Hiroto-san?" he asked. Something in those eyes worried him slightly. Years under the hat had given him an instinct for when he would greatly dislike a conversation.

"I know how I want to test my genin," Hiroto said in a grim tone. He detailed the plan, and the Hokage mused on how right he had been about not liking this conversation. His jonin made some very good points for why he should authorize it, though.

The Hokage turned his swiveling chair so he could look over his village. The view reminded him that he sometimes had to make terrible decisions for the good of his home. He could suddenly feel every one of his seventy years.

"Request granted," he finally said with a heavy heart, "I will make sure you have everything you need."

He felt Hiroto turn and leave, and was glad he had not made any attempts at thanks. He didn't want to be thanked for allowing the destruction of the innocence of three children.

XxXxXxX

Watching the soon to graduate class of academy students compete for the final ranking in taijutsu, Hiroto realized why the sensei never used a dojo. This was an exhibition of new talent; an open forum where Konoha could show off its upcoming shinobi. It wasn't an accident that the Hokage's office was positioned close enough that foreign dignitaries would see the battling trainees as they entered the tower.

Hiroto looked around, noting the various other jonin watching the proceedings. They were all concealed from the children, but had made themselves obvious enough for the chunin sensei of the academy to notice them. It was a professional courtesy; a sign of respect for the lower level shinobi that were integral in the maintenance of Konoha's fighting force.

Personally Hiroto was only there to observe four individuals. The amber-eyed Osamu had amazing speed and agility. He made clever use of his smaller size in his first fight to put his foe down. Hiroto could see numerous flaws in his style, however. It was obvious to him that the boy focused in other areas of skill. Perhaps if his feline could participate in the match. Hiroto knew from experience that the creatures could become _very _dangerous. Osamu's second match against the pink haired girl didn't go so well. She caught on to his tricks quickly and sent him to the dirt where he yielded.

Masaru proved to be a different story. The boy made use of the simplest maneuvers of Goken, but he stood nearly a head taller than the next tallest teen in the group. His greater reach and strength allowed him to make good use of the style, and Hiroto was already considering other styles to teach him to further take advantage of his natural power. His opponents seemed especially wary of his kicks, shod as he was in those heavy black combat boots. It wasn't until he came against the wild attacks of the Inuzuka that he was knocked out in the quarter finals.

His little brother was doing well for himself using the same patchwork fighting style that Hiroto himself practiced. Naruto didn't have as many individual styles to call on or the experience of real combat to hone him into a true warrior, but he learned by doing very quickly and had an instinct for the flow of battle. He took to blending taijutsu styles easily. He managed to work a decent way up the ladder before being knocked off by one of Hiroto's own future students.

To say that Hotaka's style of fighting was like a dance was like saying a house cat was like a tiger. He twisted and contorted in ways that Hiroto thought impossible, and he saw that the strikes, while not very powerful, were precisely aimed for very sensitive areas. He winced upon seeing Hotaka take down Naruto with a well placed punch to the kidney. The kid was like a leaf dancing in the wind, and in the five fights leading up to the finals, he hadn't been touched once.

The final fight came down to Hotaka and the top of the class overall, the so-called number one rookie, Uchiha Sasuke. Hiroto had to admit that the dark haired boy was good. He came into each fight with an analytical mindset. It didn't seem to matter that he had gone up against all of his opponents multiple times over the years. He was hotblooded, though. A few of his braver foes had taunted him into a reckless offense. None of them had a win to show for it.

Hotaka was a different kind of fighter, though. The gi clad teen was so focused on taijutsu that his other skills were somewhat atrophied. Hiroto could think of a few chunin that weren't as good as the trainee, and Sasuke just wasn't on his level when it came to taijutsu. As the boys faced off, Hiroto could see the signs of respect on both sides; grudging for Sasuke, willing for Hotaka.

Sasuke was sticking with Goken, the style that had won him a spot in the final fight. It was a good idea; Hotaka barely had two inches of height on his counterpart and very little extra reach. There was a burning determination in the last Uchiha's dark eyes. The jonin wondered if it had anything to do with the traitorous Itachi.

Hotaka surprised him by taking a different stance from the rest of his fights. He had used a form quite similar to Goken, feet about shoulder width apart. The difference was in his hands. Goken kept one hand forward while the other was held tight to one's side, prepared to launch the powerful strikes indicative of the style. Hotaka's style called for both hands to be raised and slightly offset with palms open. It allowed him to grab ill placed arms or legs and pull his unlucky foe into his palm or knee strikes.

His current stance was wholly different, and yet seemed thematically the same. He kept his upper body centered over his trailing leg, which was bent to lower his center of gravity. His leading leg was placed straight out, his sandaled foot flat on the ground far forward of him. His leading hand was paralleled his leading leg, the hand open with palm down. The other hand was raised and placed near his ear, and the palm was open and facing towards Sasuke.

Taking a moment to decipher the stance, Hiroto realized it was defensive in nature. Hotaka had wariness for his final challenger. He could see a serenity in the steel colored eyes of the teen. He was prepared to wait for Sasuke to make the first move. It seemed he would have his way, too. The Uchiha was growing impatient.

Hotaka saw this and acted on it, "We gonna dance or what, Sasuke? I'm ready for my top spot," he taunted.

Hiroto shook his head when the words had their intended effect. Sasuke came charging in with a strong right jab. He saw the feint for what it was, but Hotaka apparently didn't. His leading hand shot up to parry the maneuver. Simultaneously, Sasuke had lifted his leading foot to stomp down on the seemingly vulnerable knee of Hotaka's leg.

Hotaka smiled as his parry connected with Sasuke's wrist. His fingers closed around the limb before Sasuke could retract the arm. His smile never faltered as the Uchiha's foot descended to crush his knee. He turned his upper body, the torsion caused his threatened leg to turn over. As Sasuke made contact the limb collapsed under him, mitigating the damage done.

Hotaka lifted the limb back up, causing his foe to lose his balance somewhat. He used his grip on Sasuke's hand to pull the boy further off kilter, then lifted from his kneeling position. His rear foot found its way into the poor Uchiha's crotch. Hotaka continued to straighten his supporting leg until it was fully extended. This caused his opponent to be lifted into the air by his arm and groin.

Hotaka allowed his body to rock forward, using his supporting leg as a fulcrum. As his head brushed his ankle, he pulled on Sasuke's wrist to send him flying. Hotaka maintained a grip on the appendage, however, and his foe was left groaning on his back with his arm painfully twisted. The entire exchanged had happened within the span of a few seconds. The other kid's hadn't even gotten a chance to cheer.

"Yield?" Hotaka asked amicably.

Sasuke glared at him, but tapped the ground with his free hand anyway. Hotaka released the arm immediately and offered to help the boy up. Sasuke brushed the proffered hand away ungraciously, and found his own feet.

"That was good, Sasuke-san," Hotaka told him with honest respect, "I almost didn't see what you were going for."

Sasuke limped away with a grunt of annoyance. It wasn't long before he was surrounded by concerned girls who were alternately asking if he was okay and shooting the Shoudou dirty looks.

"You'd think he had damaged a national treasure," Hiroto mumbled to himself.

He walked away from the academy. He had much to consider about his future students. Two of them, at least, were highly specialized, and he would need to end that if they were to survive in the shinobi world. They had to pass his test first, though.

XxXxXxX

"Hiroto-san!"

The jonin in question stopped his meandering. He had been wandering about the village musing about his upcoming responsibility. He looked up to find the sun near it's zenith, clouds scooting by it lazily in the late summer sky. He had managed to waste nearly three hours.

He caught sight of the person who had called his name. Spiky brown hair bobbing as he ran, Kotetsu pulled even with him. Hiroto idly wondered why the man wore that cloth across the bridge of his nose.

"Got something from the Hokage for you," the chunin said, offering him a sealed scroll.

Hiroto took the scroll warily and broke the seal, "Why wouldn't he just send a bird for me... ah fuck," he got his answer as he read, and he was not happy about it.

"Go back and tell Hokage-sama I'll be there shortly," he ordered the chunin, "I need to go get a few things."

The chunin nodded his understanding and leapt away.

Hiroto made his way to his home as quickly as he could. He was surprised to find Naruto there. The boy should have been off practicing his ninjutsu for his final tests. The cans of paint clued Hiroto in on what he might be up to.

"What's all that for?" he asked with a deadly calm. He gave Naruto his scary older brother look. One he reserved for interrogating the troublemaker.

"I don't suppose you would believe I'm helping to repaint some old buildings, would you?" The blonde asked as he scratched the back of his head nervously.

"You better hope that stuff washed off easily," the jonin warned him seriously, "They'll know you did it as soon as they see it."

"I'm not the only prankster in my class," the teen shot back defensively.

"Yea, but the Hibaku kid's generally involve a boom or a seal."

"I don't think anyone would appreciate me blowing up the Hokage Monu..." he petered off as he realized he had just given up his plans, "Crap."

"I don't have time to deal with this," Hiroto said in exasperation as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Don't do it. There... guardian responsibilities taken care of."

"You don't have a mission do you?" Naruto whined, "I'm supposed to graduate in two days."

"Just a quick escort to the capital," the jonin placated as he gathered his gear, "I should be back in time, but I can't promise anything."

"Okay," the boy sighed dejectedly.

Hiroto mussed Naruto's blonde hair before making his way to the Hokage's tower. Ever since making jonin, he had been out of the village more often than not. It was lucky Naruto already knew how to take care of himself, but the absence of his one friend and relative took its toll. The boy's grades were abysmal. Iruka had helped to bring them up, but the teacher remained cool towards Naruto, causing mistrust in the orphan.

Naruto acted out to get the attention Hiroto couldn't provide while he was away, too. His pranks were considered legendary in some circles. The jonin had returned from a mission once to find locksmiths all over the academy and Hokage tower. Apparently a certain blonde had introduced super glue to all of the locks.

Of course the other major prankster, one of Hiroto's future students, couldn't let that stand. Three days later, a large storage seal had been delivered to the headmaster of the academy. Upon activating the thing, his office had been filled with water. There were still wild theories being tossed around as to how the kid had managed to store liquid directly in the seal without damaging the scroll.

That initial exchange had been the spark that ignited a prank war, or, as the academy instructors called it, 'Four Years of Hell.'

Thinking on his little brother's antics had Hiroto in a slightly better mood when he arrived at the tower. The sight, or rather the person, that greeted him soured it all over again.

"Hiroto-san!" he forced himself to stand still and not dodge the incoming glomp.

"Miki-hime," he greeted with forced politeness, "It's rather unbecoming of the daimyo's daughter to embrace an older man like this."

Banshou Miki was the eldest child of the Land of Fire's daimyo, and a royal pain in Hiroto's ass.

There were many who would be envious of his current position. Miki was beautiful by any measure. On the verge of full adulthood, she was tall and shapely. Pressed as she was against him, he could feel a hardness under the curvaceous exterior that indicated she exercised frequently. Her long fiery hair was pulled back into a braid long enough to brush the ground had she not wrapped it about her shoulders multiple times. She looked at him with undisguised adoration in her shining violet eyes; he idly wondered why they held a predatory gleam reminiscent of Mouko, one of his tiger summons.

Her clothing was casual and functional; a set of navy blue pants and a sleeveless top in a slightly lighter shade. On her feet were the sandals of a worker or outdoors-man, rugged and ready for a great deal of walking. She was dusty and sweaty from the four day trek those tied to the ground were cursed to make should they desire to go to Konoha from the capital. That didn't seem to bother the young woman. Hiroto had learned she had a natural wanderlust.

Miki had a disturbing habit of wandering off on her bodyguards. Few recognized her dressed as she was since most never saw her out of court finery and make-up. Her samurai could not follow her when she was out like this for fear of blowing her cover and stealing what little freedom the sheltered princess had. That left a pair of shinobi from the Twelve Guardian Ninja Squad to look after her. She had apparently picked up some of their tricks if she could slip away so easily. Hiroto would make a point of asking Asuma if he had taught the girl anything during his stint with the bodyguards.

"I told you not to be so formal with me," Miki pouted, making a show of quivering her lower lip. Her eyes began to form tears at the edges. She was almost as good as a fully trained kunoichi.

"That wouldn't be right, Miki-hime," he couldn't help a wry smile. The young woman had a natural magnetism to her. It was a shame she would be passed over for one of her younger brothers as the next daimyo.

"But you are my handsome savior!" she cried, hugging him tighter. If not for his flak jacket, he might have felt her breasts pressed against his chest. He was very glad for the protection as his cheeks grew rosy from the thought.

It was true enough that Hiroto had saved her life. On one of her little escapades away from her guards, she had been accosted by a group of thugs looking for a good time. As luck would have it, Hiroto was acting as a courier for the Hokage, carrying correspondence to the daimyo too important to trust to even a tokujo. He had passed by just as they surrounded the frightened girl. Without a thought, he had leapt to her defense. He had thrashed the thugs in ways that made them wish for death before escorting the girl home. To his great surprise, home happened to be the daimyo's palace.

The princess had made him a target of hero worship and a rather childish crush from then on. For the past year, at least once a month, she would abscond from the capital to make the four day trek to Konoha, just so he would have to escort her back. He was beginning to wonder how she always knew when he was home, and just why he wasn't getting any long-term missions recently.

She seemed to have this wild idea that he would court her. While it wasn't unheard of for powerful shinobi to marry nobility, it was generally done below the royal level. It didn't help that all of her suitors were either five years her junior or older than Hiroto.

He shot his leader a pleading look when the girl tightened her grip on him.

There was gleam of amusement in the aged leader's eyes, but he cleared his throat to catch her attention, "Miki-hime. Could you wait in my sitting room so I can have a private word with my subordinate?"

She straightened in surprise. Apparently she had forgotten she was in the presence of the most power shinobi in the Land of Fire, "Of course, Hokage-dono."

Hiroto's face met his hands as soon as she had closed the door, "Why? Why is she so obsessed with me?"

"You saved her life, you treat her like a person, not a political game piece, and you are a shinobi," the old man ticked off, "A lot of civilians have these silly romantic notions about us."

"I'm a defector from Kumo!" Hiroto protested in exasperation, "I don't even have a clan backing me."

"You have my trust," the Hokage countered seriously, "And Hiashi-san seems to have your back in council meetings when the subject of your loyalty invariably comes up."

Hiroto narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his leader, "You're not encouraging this are you?"

"Of course not," the Hokage barked out with a laugh, "You are a defector from Kumo! I have avoided sending you away too much, though. She refuses any other escort... even her own bodyguards."

Hiroto rubbed the bridge of his nose in consternation, "How do I let her down without offending her?"

"Hiroto-san... is that concern for her feelings I hear?" the Hokage teased.

"Just help me out, old man," he grumbled at his leader. The flippant way the Hokage was treating this was beginning to annoy him.

"You will have to find your own way in this matter, I'm afraid," the Sandaime told him seriously.

"Thank you, Oh wise leader," Hiroto shot back sarcastically with an overdone bow, "I'll be on my way. Hopefully I can make it back before Naruto graduates."

"Good luck and safe travels," the Hokage called after him through his chuckling as he entered the sitting room.

XxXxXxX

"SUCCESS! AHAHAHA!" a cry and then wild laugh resounded through the small house. It was slightly crazed, as if the speaker's sanity had hinged upon what he was celebrating.

Natsumi set down her tools, took up her cane, and went in search of her child before he could blow up the house. She was mumbling about regretting teaching him chemistry as she hobbled down the stairs into a basement with more floorspace than the entire house above it. It had the musty scent of old leather and parchment, and she had to go through a maze of shelves where great tomes and scrolls of lore sat. This library had belonged to her deceased husband, and held a treasure trove of information on sealing.

She passed his, thankfully inert, chemistry lab where he had set it up in a clear space. The same place his father had once made his unique inks. Instead of brewing some volatile concoction, he was hunched over a desk examining something very carefully.

"Hey, brat," she called to him gruffly, "The hell is with the mad scientist laugh?"

He turned to her with excitement in his eyes. The look, coupled with his long coppery hair down around his face gave him the air of some crazed researcher, "I got it to work, Kaa-san! Tou-san couldn't get it, but I did!"

"Couldn't get what?" she came closer, interested by the possibility of her son solving a sealing riddle his father couldn't.

He pointed to a seal with an ink-stained finger, "That seal changes chakra to kinetic energy."

She raised a gray eyebrow, examining the intricate and flowing lines. She could see a storage component as a base, but there were a lot of extra arrays she had no idea about, "This thing can impart momentum to an object? That's not new..."

Her son, ignoring her unimpressed tone, nodded excitedly, "Watch."

He placed a single kunai on the seal and activated the storage component. The kunai disappeared, locked into the storage array as a mass of chakra. He then applied a small amount of chakra to the seal as if to unseal the kunai. Instead of simply rematerializing as it had been stored, the blade flew from the seal at high speed to embed itself deeply into the wooden beams above their heads.

"Not bad," she was trying very hard not to sound too impressed, lest her boy get a big head. Despite her best efforts her son was beaming as if he'd been complimented by Kami itself, "How'd you manage the trick of orienting it right?"

The boy lost some of his joy and shivered, "I never, _ever, _want to translate vectors into a seal array again."

She shook her head, smiling ruefully. This brat was going to surpass his father. He might even solve the riddle of the Hiraishin. Scary thought, that.

"One kunai from a seal could be a good holdout," she allowed, considering the applications of a launching seal, "but this thing ain't too practical."

He just grinned at her knowingly and pulled another seal into view from under his most recent work. He unsealed a single kunai from it.

"Big deal?"

He then unsealed a shuriken, then another kunai. He then proceeded to unseal the rest of the twenty some odd throwing stars and knives, one at a time.

"Alright," she caved, unable to hold up her unimpressed facade in the face of such an accomplishment, "You got me. That's impressive."

A sealing master she was not, but she did know how to make basic storage seals. Well... to be fair, all seals stored something. It was how the seal released what it stored and what triggered the unsealing that made them unique. A clever master of fuuinjutsu could theoretically mimic any jutsu in existence by modulating the output of stored chakra. In practice, such seals would become ridiculously complex, which usually meant ridiculously large.

Her son had taken two ideas of fuuinjutsu and put them on their head. The first was that, while chakra could be changed to momentum, it was impossible to properly direct the object the momentum was imparted to. Apparently it _was_ possible to program a release vector into the seal; it was just exceedingly difficult.

The second was that any given materials put into a seal must be retrieved in the same way. A pile of kunai could go in, but a pile of kunai would come out. There were workarounds, like chained seals, where the connected arrays would allow the retrieval of a specific seal's contents from anywhere on the chain, but those were often large and cumbersome affairs.

"All I have to do now is figure out how to combine them," he claimed, rubbing his hands together and spreading the stains on his fingers to his palms, "Can you imagine a seal like that on each palm?"

She had to admit that would certainly surprise a few people. There was an issue there, though, "Careful doin' that, Masaru. You know what happens to seals that get unstable."

He nodded with a blanch. His early forays into experimental sealing had been... disastrous.

She mussed his already messy hair, "I suppose it's my fault you don't have a normal hobby."

"Least I don't go out and 'people watch' like Osamu," he pointed out defensively, "Hotaka doesn't even have a hobby... he just exercises more."

Laughing, she left him to his work, "Don't stay up too late. You got tests to take tomorrow."

XxXxXxX

Hiroto brooded quietly as he leapt from tree to tree. The girl riding piggy back seemed content to remain quiet and enjoy the ride. She was completely at ease now, away from civilization and the requirements it placed on her for her station. Perhaps that was her real interest in him. He represented freedom to her.

"Can we stop for the night?" Miki asked, "I'm tired."

Hiroto came to a stop on a large branch and looked to the west. The sun was riding low, painting the sky in a myriad of reds and purples not unlike the hair and eyes of his charge. He could have gone for the rest of the night, but figured some rest would do him good. Glancing about he caught sight of a sheltered hollow amongst the roots of the massive trees. He made for his chosen campsite and placed Miki down gently upon arriving.

"I'll set up a tent for you," he said as he rummaged in his small pack for the storage scroll he used for larger equipment. He had the small one-person tent set up in no time and turned to see Miki had already gathered a fair amount of kindling to start a fire. She caught his incredulous look and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Think I'm useless or something?" she asked indignantly, "How do you think I got to Konoha?"

"Not useless," he shot back with a laugh, "You're just a surprising girl is all."

"I am almost eighteen," she huffed with her hands on her hips, "I am not a 'girl.'"

"A surprising women, then," he placated with a grin as he wandered away from the campsite, "Put that kindling to use while I find some food."

He returned barely fifteen minutes later with a couple of hares. He had skinned and cleaned them away from camp to spare her the grisly sight and to prevent the smell of blood from drawing predators. He found her sitting proudly next to a merry little fire. He smirked as he spitted the hares and placed them over the flames to roast. Poking the coals to ensure an even heat, he decided it was time to let her down.

"What is your interest in me, Miki-san?" he asked quietly.

She sent him a look of mock astonishment, "No 'hime', Hiroto-san... I am appalled."

He snorted in amusement, "I am willing to address you as you wish... away from certain individuals. Now stop dodging the question."

She stared into the fire, the flames reflected in her violet orbs, "I am third in line for Otou-sama's seat. My two younger brothers have priority."

She stopped, presumably to gather her thoughts, then continued quietly, "As much as Otou-sama cares for me, I am still just a piece on the political board."

"I can't really relate to that," Hiroto told her truthfully. He always considered his low birth a blessing, "Has he not given you many choices?"

She snorted in derision, "You've met a few. All the older ones just want a pretty trophy and a piece of the royal pie. The younger ones aren't too bad, but I feel like a nanny around them."

"Where do I read into this?" the jonin asked her, honestly confused.

She smiled at him, "I know you aren't much younger than most of my suitors, but you don't see a political game piece. You see me. Not to mention I could live in Konoha."

"Okay, okay. I can understand all of that," he allowed seriously, "But 'handsome savior?'"

She laughed. A truly happy and musical sound, "Otou-sama said that to me as a joke after you brought me home a few months ago. I turned it on him much to his horror."

"So you don't think I'm handsome?" he asked her with mock hurt.

She threw a pebble at him from across the fire, "You are the plainest looking man I have ever seen, but for that you are more desirable."

"And how is that?" he asked, a little nonplussed by her reply.

"I won't have to fight other women for you," she teased with a smile.

He chuckled at her answer, but grew serious in a few moments, "You know it can't be, right?"

She sighed unhappily and pulled her knees to her chest, "I know. It's mostly to annoy my suitors. Otou-sama said he wouldn't mind strengthening ties with Konoha, but there aren't many good candidates."

"The one I would be willing to go with happens to be from Kumo," she added sourly in a full pout.

"So sorry I couldn't be born in the Land of Fire," he countered dryly, "I came south as soon as I could."

"How did that come about, anyway?" she asked him curiously, "Otou-sama wouldn't say."

"He couldn't say," Hiroto corrected her, "Those events are a class-B secret. Only chunin and up on a need to know basis."

"You won't even tell me?" she asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him.

By the way the blood drained from her face, he could tell his expression had become unusually grim. He might have even been leaking some killing intent, "That story is not one I care to remember, much less tell."

"I-I am s-sorry," she stuttered back, sounding slightly frightened.

He shook himself of the memories and smiled at her, "Don't worry about it, Miki-san. You didn't know any better."

They lapsed into silence as Hiroto continued to poke at the fire.

Soon enough he deemed the meat cooked and removed the hares from the fire. He handed her one, "I'm no world class chef like the ones in the palace, but I am told my open fire hare is the best."

They ate in silence as the last of the day gave way to night.

After some time, Miki spoke again, "Will you at least be my friend?" the undertone of desperate hope struck a chord with him. It reminded Hiroto of a certain orange obsessed child, and he couldn't help but laugh at the irony.

"What is so funny?" she asked indignantly.

"The daughter of this country's leader is asking to be my friend. Me... the traitor from Kumo," he said after calming somewhat, "How do I get into these absurd situations?"

"That was a serious question, "she sounded a little hurt by his amusement.

"I am truly sorry, Miki-san," he apologized as sincerely as he could, "Of course I'll be your friend."

She shot him a dazzling smile from across the fire, "Good. Since we're friends, can I ask a favor?"

"Okay..." he agreed warily. What had he just walked into?

"Find me someone better than these pompous asses and little kids Otou-sama keeps digging up," she requested seriously.

I'm a trained killer, woman," he told her, frowning, "Not a damn royal matchmaker."

"Pleeease..." she begged, pouting. Tears started to form in her eyes, and he even saw one fall down her cheek. He rethought his earlier estimate; she _was_ as good as a fully trained kunoichi.

"Ugh," he groaned in exasperation, "Fine... I'll keep an eye out, but I'm not making any promises."

She tossed away her finished meal and came around the fire to hug him, "Thank you," she said sweetly.

Hiroto, blushing furiously due to his head's position between her breasts sighed, "Get some sleep. We'll get going early tomorrow."

XxXxXxX

Osamu exited the testing room lathered in sweat and very tired, but he held a hitai-ate in his hands. Hotaka thumped him on the back as they passed one another the Shoudou still needing to take the final ninjutsu test. Masaru was waiting outside in the shade of a tree, watching the clouds scoot lazily across the sky.

"Well?" he asked as Osamu approached him. His own leaf plate was tied around his left bicep.

"Managed all three jutsu," Osamu told him proudly as he tied his hitai-ate loosely about his neck, "Didn't even fudge the henge with genjutsu."

The tests had come over the course of three days. First taijutsu a couple of days ago, then the written tests the next day. Last of all came genjutsu and ninjutsu. The former only required the breaking of a minor illusion. The latter required the successful demonstration of the class-E ninjutsu taught at the academy. The scores for everything were taken together to determine graduation, but too low a score in more than one would ruin your chances.

Hotaka emerged not long after Osamu, his own plate tied about his waist like a belt, "Too fricken easy."

"Maybe for you," Osamu said indignantly, narrowing his amber eyes at his taller friend.

"I don't wanna hear it mister 'aced the written exams,'" Hotaka countered with a smile.

"Maybe if you studied," Osamu deadpanned, eliciting a laugh from Masaru.

The easy banter was cut short as they saw an orange clad figure exit.

"Hey, Naruto-san. How'd you..." Hotaka's friendly greeting was cut short by the sad look on the boy's face and his lack of a leaf plate.

"Ouch," the wiry boy said quietly as they watched him take up his position on the swing across the yard. The taijutsu expert moved to go cheer Naruto up, but Osamu stopped him.

Leave him be," the cat-eyed boy said seriously, "He just wants to be alone."

"Aren't you the one always pointing out how lonely he is and how we should try to be his friends?" Masaru asked a bit confused.

Osamu nodded in reply, frowning, "Our success will only make it worse. He doesn't take well to pity."

He led them away from the blonde, and they moved to head home, "What happened to Hinata-chan, Masaru." he asked after a few minutes.

"Worried about your girlfriend," the large boy teased with a grin, "OWW!"

Yancha had appeared on his shoulder and bitten his ear, "Get off me, you damn furball."

The speckled cat leapt from his shoulder into Osamu's waiting arms. He stroked her affectionately as she purred, "Good girl."

Hotaka stifled a laugh, and Masaru snorted in disgust before saying, "She passed. Didn't get a chance to find out how good she did. One of her clansmen picked her up just as she walked out."

They arrived at their destination after a long walk; the large house occupied by the only known living Sakibou. They entered and removed their footwear, sandals for the taller boys and wrappings for Osamu. Entering the kitchen, they found their respective guardians hard at work cooking a celebratory dinner.

Natsumi noticed them first, "Well it's about damn time, brats," she looked at each of them and smiled big, her brown eyes shining, Looky here, ladies. Our boys are big bad shinobi now."

Only Masaru's gruff mother could manage to make congratulations sound like such an insult.

Ren turned from where she was chopping vegetables to smile, hiding her teeth as was custom for her and her brother, at the three boys who all called her 'Nee-san', "I'm proud of all three of you."

Mayu didn't even turn from a boiling pot she was stirring, "As if we ever had any doubt of your success."

Dinner was completed in short order, but before they could sit down at the Sakibou's high table to eat a knock sounded at the door. Osamu focused in the direction of the out of sight ingress and smiled deviously. He motioned to his friends to follow him as stealthily as possible, much to the amusement of their guardians.

As Ren went to answer the door, they exited via a rear window. They easily leapt the tall fence that kept curious children away from the wild cats that roamed the Sakibou land and circled to the front door. Masaru and Hotaka finally saw who the visitor was, and both smiled. They would recognize that overcoat and purple hair anywhere.

They rushed forward all at once and made to tackle the woman. Before they got within a foot, she was in motion. A flurry of activity and a few moments later, Masaru was wrapped in the coils of a large green snake, Hotaka was pinned face down under her foot, and Osamu dangled from where she gripped his ankle.

"You brats gotta do better than that," she groused with a smile.

"Hi, Anko-nee-san," they chorused, slightly put out that their old babysitter could still put them in their place.

She looked the three of them over taking in their leaf plates, "It seems I got three genin assaulting a superior. That used to be twenty lashes."

If you can call that an assault," Ren said with a laugh, "What brings you, Anko?"

Anko released the three boys, patting each on the head in a patronizing way, "Wanted to see if the maggots made it. Plus I ain't seen ya much since T&I picked me up."

Ren smiled at what had been the first friend her age in Konoha, "Come have dinner with us. Mayu-san and Natsumi-san would be happy to see you."

"Hope they give me a better welcome than these dolts," Anko said as she entered the abode.

Dinner became an even livelier affair with Anko present. The three small families regularly shared meals, and were happy to have her. Mayu had welcomed her easily after her sensei's betrayal, and Natsumi hadn't been far behind. Both the older women knew how much Anko had worshipped her mentor, and Ren was observant enough to pick up on the general attitude the villagers had for her. None of the ever brought it up, save for when Natsumi used her limited sealing experience to ensure her cursed seal was stable.

Their association with Anko and their location in the village's infamous fox district surrounded the three families in superstition. It wasn't the stigma Anko endured or the outright fear and hatred of the village jinchuuriki, but 'normal' people tended to avoid them. It was no wonder the boys were as close as brothers. They didn't have too many others to call friend.

Thinking of stigmas brought someone else to Anko's mind, "I hear the old man is givin' that Kumo defector a team this year," she mentioned idly to see how they would react. She was happy to see the fresh shinobi at the table quiet down to take in any information on a possible sensei.

"Let 'em, I say," Natsumi said between bites, "Over ten years of faithful service. Plus, good ol' stick-up-the-ass Hiashi seems to have his back on the shinobi council. He may be a prude, but that tightwad is loyal to a fault."

"How do you know that?" Mayu asked her curiously.

"Got most of the civilian council in my pocket," she said with a nasty grin, "Fools will do anything for money."

Anko let loose a snort of amusement, "Why am I not surprised?"

Ren had been following the conversation with quiet interest. She had her finger to the pulse of the village, and not much got past her. She was even privy to a few class-S secrets she shouldn't have been, but this was the first she had heard of a defector from Kumo. She found it a bit suspect that he had been serving for ten years. Not too much shorter than her residence in the village.

"Kumo defector?" she inquired of the other women, "I didn't know about this man."

"Huh... Thought you knew about that," Mayu said with a thoughtful look, "Word is he came down from Kumo after some disagreement with his leadership. Swore his allegiance to the Leaf."

"And they let him become a jonin?" Ren asked in disbelief.

"They had good reason," Anko told her seriously, "I've seen him do some wild shit. Was on a snatch and grab with him a few years back... when he was still a chunin. Everything went to hell, and I nearly ate a brace of kunai."

"What happened?" Masaru voiced the question on the enthralled teens' minds.

"The idiot hopped in the way," the look on her face said she still couldn't believe it, "Used this jutsu that called water up around us. Slowed the kunai down, but he still got a few stuck in him. He then proceeded to beat the living shit outa the three shinobi against us."

"Why didn't he just kill 'em?" Natsumi asked seriously, "Woulda been easier."

"Yea," Anko nodded her agreement with a laugh, "But one of 'em was the target, and he didn't know which. We finished the mission successfully."

"I'm not too surprised by that," Mayu piped in, "That guy has some good moves. He did an exhibition match for the incoming academy students to show them what taijutsu could do for you. I swear I saw him mix Tiger with Drunken Boxing. There were other styles, too, but those were the most dominant."

"But is he trustworthy?" Ren asked with worry. This man could end up teaching her boys, and she had some _very _bad memories of Kumo shinobi. All except one, but he was certainly dead, killed for his treacherous actions that night. She felt bad that she couldn't even remember his face.

"I suppose," Anko offered with a shrug, "I think he's got a death wish or something, though. Maybe that's why the old man gave him those fancy shields."

Anko peered out the window to see the sun long gone and the stars twinkling like distant gems. She suddenly remembered that she had a shift at the T&I building as an on-call interrogator.

She stood and stretched, her stomach full near to bursting with fine cooking, "Well I appreciate the meal, but I gotta get going before 'tall, dark, and gruesome' starts wondering where I am."

"They gave Morino Ibiki command of T&I?" Natsumi asked with a grim smile, "Oh, I feel sorry for any prisoners we pick up."

Farewells were had all around, and the Sakibou residence emptied in short order. It wasn't long afterward that a general alarm was raised.

* * *

A/N: This chapter was looong. Then I cut it down some. Then I got a review that prompted me to rewrite _the whole damn thing. _In short... I am a tad brain dead, and also behind on my chapters. Considering the end of my first semester in college is coming up, posts may slow the hell down. We'll see, though.

On another note, I got my first review from an individual I don't know personally. Orangeman727 gets a free shout out for his trouble. Pretty good writer from what I've seen too. That's it for me this week.

And before I forget. The weekly bio.

Ryouko Hiroto  
Rank: Jonin  
Gender: Male  
Birth Date: April 23  
Hair: Brown  
Eyes: Hazel  
Height: 5' 8" (172.7 cm)  
Weight: 190 lbs (86.2 kg)  
Ryouko Hiroto was a loyal shinobi of Kumogakure until he witnessed (and played a small role in) a terrible tragedy. He defected to Konoha shortly after. Despite mistrust amongst the civilian populace, he has earned the respect of many of his fellow Leaf shinobi.


	12. Secrets and Conspiracies

It was late when Hiroto arrived back in Konoha with naught but the stars and a meager crescent moon to light his way. The daimyo had insisted he stay the night to rest, and weighing the political ramifications, the jonin had agreed reluctantly. The man had then offered him a hearty breakfast, and kept him occupied all damn morning.

It was like the bastard knew he was in a hurry, and was trying to spite him for catching his daughter's eye. Miki, bless the woman, had finally managed to distract her father long enough for him to slip away. Hiroto had gone nonstop, even going so far as to pop a soldier pill, to make it back as fast as possible.

He was still too late to see Naruto put his hitai-ate on for the first time, but he would be damned if he had to wait any longer than necessary to congratulate his little brother.

Arriving at the gates, he felt something was wrong. The guards on the wall seem far more interested in what was inside than out. It was a sign there was some sort of intruder in the village, or one of T&I's shinobi prisoners had escaped. He avoided the long process of getting through the gate so late at night and hopped the wall instead. He kept an eye out for anyone suspicious on his way home, but never made it as someone caught up to him.

"Hiroto-san," a stressed voice called out, "It's about damn time you got back. Do you know where that brat of yours might be?"

Hiroto turned to see Genma land next to him. The tokujo's teeth were chomping on his senbon rather hard; a bad sign. He decided not to take umbrage with him, since he called anyone younger than himself a brat, "What's he done now? Painted the monument?"

Genma blinked a few times in surprise, "Yea, actually he did, but that's not why every damn shinobi in the village is looking for him. He stole the sealed scroll from the Hokage's residence."

Hiroto put his face in his hands and made a noise that sounded awfully like a crazed laugh, "Please tell me this is a prank."

"Fraid not," Genma replied, redoubling his efforts to grind his senbon into nothing with his teeth.

Hiroto sighed in resignation, "I have a few ideas of where he might be."

XxXxXxX

He hoped and prayed to every deity he could think of that Naruto would be at his usual spot. The kid liked to use an old training field on the outskirts of the village to lay low after a particularly successful prank, and that had been Hiroto's first choice. He quickened his pace at the sound of voices, but remained silent as he approached. Years of training and experience were screaming that there was some plot afoot.

"You are the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and you killed Iruka's parents!" Hiroto's face went stony. Someone had just broken a major taboo. He recognized that voice, but couldn't quite call up a name. Silver hair came to mind, though.

"Now DIE!" He heard the distinct sound of a large shuriken cutting the air, then the sickening sound of impact.

Hiroto rushed forward, silent as a shadow. His shields had appeared on his forearms, and he could feel them vibrating. They seemed to be reacting to his desire to protect Naruto.

"Don't listen to him, Naruto!" he recognized Iruka's voice, and came up short. It was a relief that the chunin was there. He had always been wary of Naruto, but had treated him with respect in deference to Hiroto. He found a good vantage point and began to observe the scene. There was Iruka, bloodied and bent protectively over the blonde. There was an oversized shuriken in his back, dangerously close to his spine, but his flack jacket had saved his life. Iruka had intercepted the missile and saved Naruto's life.

"B-but why?" Hiroto could barely make out the boy's whispered question. He was visibly shaking. Most likely in shock from nearly dying.

"Because you and I are the same," Iruka replied softly, tears beginning to track down his cheeks, "After my parents died, I was alone, like you were. I began to act out to get the attention I craved. I acted like a fool and a clown just to be acknowledged. It was painful... the loneliness. You're in pain too, aren't you?"

"I know Hiroto-senpai looks after you now," he went on, his words heavy with emotion, "but he is gone so much... I could have been there for you..."

"Ah yes," Hiroto looked at the speaker from before. The dead man. He finally remembered his name. Mizuki, "You mean his keeper? The one that's supposed to slit his throat if he starts to turn?"

Hiroto nearly jumped the man there. His fingers itched to close about the man's throat and strangle the life from him slowly. What hurt so bad, was the truth in the words. He stayed put, though; he needed to know how deep Mizuki's betrayal went. Whether or not this was just a grudge, or something more.

The emotional upheaval of the night's revelations proved too much for Naruto. He slipped from under Iruka and bolted, the large sealed scroll on his back. The silver haired traitor followed, and was soon pursued by Iruka who foolishly removed the large shuriken from his back.

Hiroto followed stealthily, the two chunin unaware of his presence. He needed to see how Naruto handled the information he had been given. He trusted the kid to bounce back, but there was always the chance of something terrible.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto couldn't believe Mizuki had attempted this kind of betrayal if a simple henge would fool him. Iruka was even still leaking blood from his back for Kami's sake. From his perch, the jonin could see the traitor and the insturctor. He could also see Naruto hiding behind a tree, doing his level best to suppress the massive chakra signature even Hiroto could feel. Mizuki seemed too caught up in the moment to notice, though, and Iruka, the sly fucker, was keeping him talking.

"Why do this?" the scarred chunin asked from where he slumped against a tree, "Why betray Konoha like this, Mizuki?"

The silver haired man laughed hysterically as if his one-time partner had made a great joke, "Why? WHY? Why not? Truthfully, I'm not too different from the demon brat. You can do anything with the techniques on that scroll."

He unhitched his second, and last, giant shuriken from his back, "There's no way the demon fox won't take advantage of it."

Hiroto watched his little brother carefully. He seemed scared out of his mind and terribly sad at the same time.

"You're right," Iruka agreed.

Naruto's face fell. Perhaps Hiroto's estimations of Iruka were off. He briefly considered killing both chunin then and there, and reporting Mizuki as the instructor's killer. Iruka's next words changed his mind, and he had to wonder if he had sensed the blonde fool.

"But Naruto-kun isn't the fox," Iruka went on, his voice gaining strength from his conviction, "He is different. He may be a goof and do badly with school work, but he never gives up. He's a good kid."

"Pfft. Whatever," Mizuki shot at the scarred man flippantly, setting his massive throwing star spinning, "I think it's about time you DIED!"

He charged recklessly at the injured chunin, and Hiroto began to intercept. He was beat to it, though, by a very angry Naruto. The boy simply rammed the traitorous Mizuki off course, causing the shuriken to fly from his grasp and off into the woods. He stood and watched with eyes like ice as the man stood.

"Lay one finger on Iruka-sensei." he began quietly, but finished with a yell, "AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

Hiroto was impressed. Both with the speed of Naruto's reaction and the raw killing intent he was radiating. Mizuki could obviously feel it, too. He looked ever so slightly shaken.

"PUNK!" Mizuki yelled back to cover his nervousness, "I could take you down with one shot!"

"Then try it," the blonde shot back coldly, forming a single sign, "And I'll return the pain a thousand times over. _KAGEBUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

Hiroto nearly fell from his tree as his goofball of a little brother filled the entire immediate area with more clones than he could count. The large group began to pummel Mizuki mercilessly. They stopped short of killing the traitor, though. He lay whimpering in a broken heap when the clones vanished in a cloud of smoke.

It wasn't until Iruka was tying his own hitai-ate on Naruto's forehead that he realized the kid didn't already have one. He felt a swell of pride as the instructor used his authority to name Naruto a genin of Konoha. The first rays of dawn broke through the trees, but nothing lit up the forest more than the boy's smile.

Hiroto chuckled as he leapt from his tree, watching Naruto glomp the injured chunin.

"I was under the impression graduation tests were already over," he said with a smirk, frightening the lower rank shinobi.

"Hehe," Naruto said nervously as he rubbed the back of his head, "Hey, Nii-san."

"Naruto," the jonin said seriously, putting on his scary older brother face, "Go straight home. If you're not there when I get back, we're going to run laps around Konoha with Gai-san till he gets tired."

A look of abject fear crossed the fresh genin's face, and he booked it towards the village, leaving behind the pilfered scroll. Hiroto turned around at the sound of rustling leaves to see Mizuki trying to crawl away. He walked over and kicked the man in the gut viciously.

"Where are you off to, Silver?" he asked in a too-kind tone, kicking the man again, "You got a date with Ibiki-san and then the gallows."

He kicked the man again, this time in the head to knock him out.

"Can you walk Iruka-san?" he asked as he slung Mizuki over a shoulder none too gently, "If you can, head to the hospital. If not, I'll send someone your way."

"I can get there on my own," Iruka ground out with a grunt of pain as he stood, "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Hiroto replied simply, picking up the sealed scroll, "Thanks, Iruka-san. Naruto needs more people he can trust."

XxXxXxX

Naruto sat at the kitchen table staring at his new leaf plate. His emotions were going wild. He was ecstatic to have gotten it, and to know that Iruka cared. He was confused by the revelation about the fox, but it did seem to explain a lot of things that never seemed to add up. He was worried about what Mizuki had said about Hiroto. Could his older brother just be some keeper, put with him to make sure the fox never broke out?

So lost was he in his thoughts that he missed the sound of the door opening.

"Ryo for your thoughts," he jumped at the sound of Hiroto's voice. He looked up to see a glint of amusement in the man's otherwise serious hazel eyes. He caught a whiff of ramen, and saw that his older brother had a large takeout bag.

"We were in luck," Hiroto said, placing the bag on the table and pulling out numerous bowls of Ichiraku ramen, "The old man, just opened about twenty minutes ago."

He sat down and grabbed a takeout bowl and some chopsticks and began to eat. Naruto followed suit, but ate slowly, pondering this man who seemed to care for him for years.

"You have questions," the jonin stated between bites, fixing his eyes on Naruto.

Naruto set down his chopsticks. He couldn't bring himself to eat right now, "Is it true?"

Hiroto didn't even have to ask what he meant. He frowned, "You have the Kyuubi no Kitsune sealed within you, yes. You are not the beast, though, Naruto. Never forget that."

"How... how long have you known?" he had to know.

"Since the day we met, seven years ago," Hiroto finished his first bowl, but refrained from grabbing a second.

"Are you really supposed to..." Naruto couldn't seem to finish the question, but he didn't need to.

Hiroto closed his eyes and seemed to gather his thoughts and resolve, "I once thought you were a ticking time bomb, Naruto. I never blamed you or held it against you, and you even proved me wrong within a matter of months. I didn't adopt you to keep an eye on you. I did it to help you, to protect you.

"You didn't say no," the boy whispered quietly, unsure how he should take that.

The jonin sighed unhappily and nodded, "That's because I won't lie to you, Naruto. Should the beast ever begin to break free, I will not hesitate to kill you to stop it. I would then proceed to put that blade in my own heart. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had to kill you."

"I will do anything to protect this village, Naruto. I made an oath, and I will keep it," he said with steel in his voice. He reached over and mussed the boy's hair affectionately, his voice warming, "I do not ever see that day coming, though. You are too good a person to fall to that creature."

Naruto nodded his understanding, "Why don't you hate me like everyone else?"

Hiroto smirked at the question, "Remember a few years back when I told you I earned their distaste all on my own?"

The boy nodded, smiling as he remembered the day he had gained an elder brother. Hiroto reached into his equipment pouch and drew something out. He tossed it on the table for Naruto to see. It glinted dully in the early morning light filtering through the windows. It was a hitai-ate, but it had a strange symbol Naruto didn't recognize.

"That is the symbol of Kumogakure," Hiroto answered the unasked question, "I am not from Konoha. I defected from a village to the north-east of here."

"One of the worst things you can do is betray your village," Naruto quoted his instructors, "That's why they don't like you. They think you're a traitor or a spy."

Hiroto nodded, happy the knucklehead remembered at least one thing from his classes, "That's right. I know what it feels like to be hated and feared, but I managed to earn the trust of quite a few people over the years. I'm definitely not the most popular person in the village, but I am a jonin and respected for my skills."

"Could I do that?" there was an edge of desperation to the question. One that hurt Hiroto to hear, "Could I make them see I'm not the fox?"

"It will be hard, Naruto," he said seriously, frowning, "People are fickle and quick to judge, but I think you can show them Uzumaki Naruto. You just need to make a stand."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Hiroto thought for a moment, "You need a rule to follow. Something that is reliable about you, that someone can always count on."

"Like one of the shinobi rules?"

"Like your own personal nindo?" Hiroto asked rhetorically, "Sure... that works. It goes deeper, though. The shinobi rules were meant only as strict guidelines. You can bend them to complete a mission. You must never violate your nindo."

"What's yours, Nii-san?" the boy was hanging on his every word, "What's your nindo?"

"Never really put it into words," Hiroto thought for a moment, "I guess it would be 'I always protect my friends and allies.' I'm pretty sure more than a few people think I have a death wish because of it, though."

The boy's eyes shone with admiration, "That is so awesome... but I need my own nindo."

"Don't rush it, kiddo," Hiroto laughed, grabbing another bowl of ramen finally, "And eat up. I know you're starving."

Right on cue, the blonde's stomach growled loudly. He finished his first bowl off quickly and grabbed a second. They ate in a companionable silence until the feast of ramen was gone, then they dragged themselves to bed for some much needed rest. Thankfully, team assignments weren't for another day.

XxXxXxX

"Aww. Look, Osamu. You match with Hinata-chan," Hotaka teased his small friend, pointing to the leaf plate she had tied about her neck. Masaru began to chuckle, and it only grew worse as the cat-user's cheeks colored.

Osamu covered his embarrassment by fixing his friends with a withering look, "I will end you... both of you," he was satisfied when they both shuddered slightly. He then approached the girl he had managed to form a tentative friendship with.

As enigmas went, she was right up there with Naruto, but she couldn't avoid him like the blonde since her escort to and from the academy had been his genjutsu teacher. He had slowly managed to earn a modicum of trust from her, but she still seemed to be wary of him for some reason. It was like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It was due to his desire to unravel that mystery that his _reikimokushi _was so fine tuned. He had learned to recognize the intensity of an emotion by its sensory signature. Visible alterations to an aura represented the least powerful emotions. As the emotion went up in intensity, he began to hear, smell, feel, and finally taste. In truth, the last one was just a theory. He had yet to experience another's emotion in that way.

The sensations themselves still confused him. He could tell instinctively what emotion was being signified, but the specifics were different for every person. The visual aspects were the most uniform, being one of five colors, blue, green, red, yellow, or purple. They could vary somewhat, but they were always identifiable as one of those colors. Sounds and smells were far more varied. He had yet to puzzle out what all of it meant; though, he was sure it meant something.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," he greeted, startling her somewhat. He followed where she had been looking to find she had been staring at where Naruto usually sat.

"Hello, Osamu-kun," she replied politely. He was glad to see she was stuttering less and less around him, "D-do you know w-where Naruto-kun is?"

"I saw him before I left yesterday," he answered with a wince. He hadn't missed the way she paid a lot of attention the boisterous fool, "He didn't have a hitai-ate."

She seemed crestfallen at the news, almost defeated. It wasn't long after that the blonde himself entered proudly sporting a leaf plate in place of the goggles he usually wore.

"Well I'll be damned," Osamu said in disbelief, "Wonder how he managed that."

"H-he never gives up," Hinata siad quietly, her lavender tinted eyes focused on the smiling blonde.

"True enough," Hotaka agreed walking up with their larger friend, "Wouldn't stay down in our fight a few days ago."

"You didn't ask him to yield like the others," Masaru pointed out.

"Woulda said no anyway," Hotaka countered with a laugh, "First time I did, he got mad and almost won. Never tried it again."

The boy in question was currently getting miffed that everyone seemed to think he had stolen the plate. He was presently glaring at Shikimaru, the one to suggest the possibility.

Osamu smirked and called out to him, "Naruto-san. Good job on graduating."

The bewhiskered teen looked up, surprised at the praise, "You don't think I stole it?"

Amber eyes scrunched as Osamu smiled, "So what if you did? Those things are so well guarded only a real ninja could get to them."

Naruto's azure eyes squinted at the smaller boy. He wasn't too sure if he had just been complimented or insulted. He was saved from further suspicion from his favorite instructor.

"I can assure you all that Naruto-kun got his hitai-ate fairly and without thievery," the scarred chunin told them as he walked in, "Everyone take a seat and quiet down so I can call out the team assignments."

"I would like to note that these assignments are nonnegotiable," Iruka said after the graduates complied, "Each of you has been placed based on aptitude and ability."

The three boys sat together quietly discussing their possible team assignments and what they would prefer. Their discussion was cut short when they heard who they would all be working with.

"Team five," the instructor called out, "Hibaku Masaru, Sakibou Osamu, and Shoudou Hotaka."

They looked at each other in surprise. While they had always worked well together during team exercises in the academy, they had assumed their talents didn't line up very well. Apparently the instructors felt differently. Their attention was drawn back to the assignments as Iruka called out team seven.

"Team seven: Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke..."

"Ha!" the pink hair girl interrupted, "Take that Ino-pig."

"and Uzumaki Naruto," Iruka finished giving Sakura a withering look as she drooped her head in disappointment.

"Serves you right for gloating, Forehead," Ino called to her rival. Many of the other fresh kunoichi were nodding their heads in agreement, much to Naruto's annoyance.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto piped up, "Do I really have to work with this arrogant bastard?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun," the now very annoyed teacher ground out, "If you don't mind I need to finish this."

"But, sensei..." the boy began to whine. He was cut short by a blow to the head from his new female teammate.

"Shut-up, idiot!"

It took a few moments for Iruka to scold the girl for striking her teammate in anger, and she _seemed _contrite about it. Most of the other genin didn't buy it; Sakura was notorious for her fiery temper and Naruto had a habit of setting it off. Mostly through attempts to get her attention.

"Where was I?" Iruka went over his list and found his place quickly, "Ah... Team eight: Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba."

Osamu saw the pale eyed girl next to him begin to poke her fingers together nervously. It got worse when Akamaru, Kiba's white puppy, began barking excitedly upon hearing his partner's name.

He leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry. Kiba-san is friendly enough, and Masaru says Shino-san is a bit weird but a decent guy."

"W-what if t-they don't l-like me?" she asked miserably, "W-what i-if can't k-keep up with t-them?"

Osamu placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. He could feel her shivering slightly under her baggy jacket, "What's not to like?"

She calmed somewhat after those words, but still seemed worried. Osamu's attention refocused on their teacher just as Kiba managed to quiet his excitable dog.

With a resigned sigh, Iruka plodded on, "Team ten: Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino."

He went through some more teams, but Osamu didn't bother paying any more attention. The scarred chunin had covered all of the clan children, and his sister hadn't asked him about anyone else. Their clan wasn't officially recognized in Konoha, but Ren still liked to stay up to date on the politics anyway. One day they would petition the council for clan status, and it would serve them well to understand the interplay between them.

Soon enough, Iruka finished his list and rolled it up, "Your sensei will be here to retrieve you at thirteen hundred. You are dismissed until then."

XxXxXxX

Hiroto jumped from roof to roof grumbling about paperwork as he made his way from the jonin station to the academy. He checked the position of the sun and cursed; his team had probably been waiting for at least half an hour now. He caught a flash of light out of his peripheral vision mid-leap, and his danger sense went wild. He turned to see a bird-masked ANBU flying at high velocity towards him, ninjato aimed to kill.

Time seemed to slow as Hiroto entered the semi-conscious battle state all great shinobi did when in combat. He called forth his shields, the quickest drawing weapon he could manage, and interposed his left arm to block the incoming strike. A resounding 'pang' told him he had been saved from being skewered, but the sheer force of the blow threatened to throw him back. His shield's seals activated instantly, drinking in the transferred kinetic force; he could feel them filling quickly, however.

As the rogue ANBU withdrew his blade to attempt another midair strike, Hiroto reversed the seals. The massive amount of force absorbed formed a powerful pressure wave directed right at his attacker. With the sound of a great cat roaring, the assailant was sent tumbling back the way he had come. He crashed with bone crushing force onto the roof of a random building.

Hiroto landed lightly on another building and leapt to the assassin. He found him trying to stand with his femur jutting from his thigh. There was an alarming amount of blood about him.

"Stay down and let me see to that leg," Hiroto told him as he approached cautiously, "Looks like you severed the artery."

The masked attacker answered with a swipe of his blade. Hiroto easily avoided the weak strike and pulled the sword from his hands.

"Die... faithless bastard," the assassin panted out. His voice sounded young despite the pain that laced it.

Hiroto snatched off his mask to find his suspicions confirmed. The agonized face that he saw couldn't have been much older than Naruto's. The dark eyes disturbed him greatly; he didn't see an ounce of fear or any other emotion there.

"You won't... take me... alive," the voice was much weaker this time, and the jonin moved to administer what healing he could. He didn't catch the boy biting down, but certainly did notice the sudden convulsing. Moments later the kid was still, a bit of foam on his lips and eyes lifeless.

Hiroto just stared, flabbergasted. In the twelve years he had lived in Konoha, this was the first assassination attempt. That was actually surprising in retrospect, but what had triggered the sudden resentment?

He came back on guard when he sensed the presence of more shinobi. A pair of ANBU landed to either side of him, and he relaxed slightly as he recognized the cat mask and purple hair of one of his previous keepers. She took in the scene then looked to him.

"Hiroto-san, we heard the roar," she stated calmly, "What happened here?"

Hiroto dismissed his shields and handed over the mask he had taken, "This kid attacked me out of nowhere. He one of your?"

She turned the mask over in her hands, then bent down to look at the kids face, "Little young for ANBU. He didn't bleed out, did he?"

"No... I think he had a false tooth or some other 'last resort'," the jonin answered. That wasn't uncommon for ANBU, but generally were only issued on high risk missions deep in enemy territory.

Cat nodded as she opened his mouth to confirm his suspicions and cursed at what she saw, "This is worse than a rogue ninja, Hiroto-san."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Tortoise..." she barked at her partner, "Go tell Hokage-sama 'the dark heart seeks the tiger.'"

Tortoise took off towards the tower at top speed to carry out his orders. Cat reached to her belt and flipped a switch on a hidden radio, "HQ, this is Cat. I need a disposal team at grid fourteen-F... Roger. Out."

"Hiroto-san," Cat turned to him, and he suspected it wasn't to tell him anything good, "I need to know your activities for the past month."

Hiroto groaned in disgust, but began to comply. His team would just have to wait a bit longer for him.

XxXxXxX

"You're absolutely sure it was a ROOT operative?" the Hokage queried Tortoise. He was rubbing his temples in frustration at having to deal with this _now. _A Chunin Exam just months away, fresh graduates out of the academy, and someone had to attempt to kill off one of his best.

"Aye, Hokage-sama," Tortoise replied in a neutral tone, "Had the mark on his tongue, and he was too young to be one of your ANBU."

Sarutobi nodded tiredly and waved his hand, "You are dismissed, Tortoise. Get back to your partner."

The masked man bowed deeply to his leader and disappeared in a swirl of leaves and wind. The aged man scowled at the small mess left behind, but decided to ignore the subtle antics of one of his elite warriors. There were far more pressing matters to deal with.

"What are you up to, Danzo?" he asked the empty office quietly.

Danzo, by all reports, had no issues with the Kumo defector. The old warhawk had actually been delighted, in his own sullen, reserved way, that an enemy shinobi would willingly choose such a path. Hiroto was another asset to the village, and he was easily removed if he became a liability.

Is that what was going on? Had Hiroto done something to earn Danzo's ill will? The thought of the simple looking man betraying Konoha made Sarutobi ill. He trusted the jonin as he did any natural born Konaha citizen, but certain members of his council maintained that was foolish.

Shikaku, Choza, and Homura still remained adamant that he shouldn't be trusted. Koharu, Shibi, and Inoichi remained wary of Hiroto, but allowed that his service record spoke volumes about his loyalty. On the council, only Tsume and Hiashi staunchly defended the former Kumo nin, but they were probably the best allies one could have. They had wildly different attitudes, but they shared the common threads of loyalty, duty, and reciprocation.

Hiroto had saved the lives of some twenty shinobi during his ten years of service. Half of them had been members of either the Hyuga or Inuzuka clans. That wasn't even considering the incident involving Hiashi's daughter, when the patron had suddenly become _very _outspoken in defense of Hiroto.

The Hokage decided that Hiroto hadn't done anything against the village. No... Danzo was up to something again, and it was bound to be problematic. The cagey old man had a small but well trained army at his disposal, but the Hokage had a few tricks up his own sleeve. He scrawled out a quick note in a cipher only one other man knew. Rolling it up, he whistled out his window, layering chakra into the sound. One of Konoha's short-range messenger birds answered the call with a happy chirp and landed on his hand.

"Yamanaka Inoichi," he told it, tying the small message to the bird's leg. It trilled its acknowledgment and took off, and Sarutobi settled back into his chair with a wicked grin. The Watchers were about to go to work.

XxXxXxX

Kakashi stopped in surprise when he saw an irate Hiroto approaching the academy from the opposite direction.

"Yo, Hiroto-san," he called out lazily from behind his book, "What's got you wound up?"

"Some rogue ANBU tried to kill me. That's what," the junior jonin replied sourly as he walked up.

"No joke?" Kakashi asked, lowering his book, "He stop to tell you why?"

"Not really," Hiroto answered, "I need a favor, Kakashi-san. If Naruto passes tomorrow, keep an eye on him. I have a bad feeling whoever tried to have me offed isn't really after me."

"Sure," Kakashi agreed. It would be his duty to look out for his students anyway.

They passed into the academy together, but stopped upon seeing the very obvious prank set up for them. A single black board eraser wedged in the sliding door, poised to fall on the head of whoever walked in.

"Really?" Kakashi asked incredulously, reaching for the door.

The silver haired jonin just allowed the eraser to hit him as he opened the door, and the two of them walked in together.

"Nii-san!" Naruto called out, "Please tell me you've got team seven?"

"Nope," Kakashi answered with an eye smile, "I do. My first impression... I don't like you guys. Meet me on the roof in ten."

The cyclops disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"Man..." Naruto whined, "Why'd we have to get a one eyed freak? He can't even dodge an eraser!"

Hiroto chuckled darkly, "Naruto... Are you disrespecting one of my fellow jonin?"

"Eh!? No, Nii-san!" the blonde quickly waved his hands in front of his face, "Need to get going. Gotta be on the roof."

He took off past his older brother with his other two teammates following at a more sedate pace, both looking slightly nervously at the jonin that had frightened the normally unflappable Naruto.

"I guess that means you're our sensei," Hiroto turned to see his three new students lounging in the back of the classroom. Hotaka had been the one to speak.

"Sure am," he agreed with a smile, "Meet me out in the yard in five."

He opted to walk out since he didn't know the little poofing trick Kakashi had used. His students joined him shortly, and he looked them over thoroughly. They were mostly as he remembered them from their first meeting four years ago in the park.

Masaru had grown a little taller, but his major growth spurt had yet to take hold. Hiroto estimated the teen, who already stood just a few inches under the jonin, would grow to over seven feet. He approved of the kids dress, heavy duty pants, t-shirt, and boots; all of it black. His long coppery hair could prove worrisome, but Hiroto knew that even such a possible weakness could be used as a weapon by clever shinobi. By all accounts, Masaru was exceedingly clever.

Hotaka wasn't far behind his broader friend in height, but he was like a collection of sticks beneath his white gi. The garment would have to go now that the boy was a shinobi. Though training was a life-long activity, a gi was inappropriate for duty. He would let the boy know after the test, if he passed.

Osamu was short... even shorter than Hiroto's own stumpy little brother. He seemed to favor dark colors for his dress, but stuck to ones found in the forest. Greens and browns, mostly. He seemed to have stopped wearing shorts in favor of the full length pants normally used by active shinobi. He still wore the white wrappings on his lower arms and legs, and Hiroto couldn't help but find it odd that he continued to remain barefoot.

"I'm Ryoukou Hiroto," he introduced after getting a good look at them and making them fidget.

"Is that what the tigers are for?" Osamu asked, pointing at the tattoo like seals on his forearms.

Hiroto gave a bark of laughter, "Not exactly. Life has seen fit to turn me into a walking pun."

"How about you introduce yourselves," he prompted when they only gave him confused looks, "Tell me your likes, dislikes, and ambitions."

They shared a look, and he saw an almost imperceptible and silent communication go on. Finally Hotaka nodded, having agreed to go first.

"I'm Shoudou Hotaka," the lanky teen began, "I like to exercise," he was interrupted by a snort of amusement from Masaru, "I dislike lazy big-bodies," he continued with a pointed look at his large friend.

"I want to master my Tou-san's style of taijutsu, Koodorikaze," he went on, a determined gleam in his steal colored eyes, "Then I can become the Green Beast of Konoha."

"That's actually a title?" Hiroto asked incredulously, "I thought Gai-san just made that up."

"He got it from his and Tou-san's master," Hotaka explained, "It's granted to the greatest taijutsu expert in Konoha."

"Huh..." Hiroto would need to reevaluate his estimations of the talented but admittedly crazy jonin, "Next?"

"Hibaku Masaru," the largest child said, "I like explosives, seals, and well-engineered traps. I dislike walking sticks that think three hours of exercise a day is lazy," he shot Hotaka a wink.

"My dream is to become a great seal master like my father," he continued.

"Who was your father?" Hiroto asked curiously, "I wasn't able to find any files on him..."

"I... I don't know," Masaru said sadly, his shoulders drooping, "Kaa-san won't talk about him, and I've never seen a picture of him. All I have are his research notes."

The jonin thought that exceedingly odd. The only other time he had run into something similar was when he had tried to dig up info on Naruto's parents.

"I'm sorry," he said with a wince, "I didn't mean to dredge up family troubles."

"It's okay, sensei," the boy gave him a weak smile.

"Alright, shortstack," Hiroto turned to the last genin, trying to shift the conversation away from darker thoughts, "Your turn."

"I'm Sakibou Osamu, and... Yancha is lurking about somewhere," he peered around seeking his feline, but shrugged when he couldn't spot her, "I like cats and analyzing people. I don't like it when my friends passive-aggressively snipe at each other."

That got a laugh out of the other two boys, who each clapped the smirking genin on the back. Hiroto got the distinct impression the smallest teen had just won some sort of game.

"I plan to help my Nee-san bring our clan back to glory," he added solemnly, his easy smile fading into a determined expression, "We will give to Konoha the strength Kumo scorned."

Hiroto nodded in acknowledgment of the goal, not trusting his voice after such a stark reminder of past sins. He got his emotions under control in short order, but a lingering sadness crept over him.

"Those are all great goals," he told them honestly, "But I'm afraid the first real obstacle to them is coming tomorrow."

They all looked on curiously, and a bit apprehensively, at his words.

"See... there is one more test for you three," Hiroto explained, "A test of my devising to see if I really want to teach you."

"If we fail?" Osamu asked, voicing the concerns of his fellows.

"You go back to the academy," the jonin answered. He smirked at the determined looks he got back, "Masaru-kun is up first at eight hundred hours. Hotaka-kun will be next at eleven hundred. Osamu-kun, you'll be last at fourteen hundred. You'll each meet me at the main gate."

They nodded their understanding, and he moved to leave.

"Wait, sensei!" Masaru called from behind him, "What's the test?"

"You'll see," Hiroto shot back darkly.

XxXxXxX

Masaru paced nervously back and forth in front of the gate. He lifted his palms to his face for the hundredth time since arriving a full thirty minutes early for his test. He scrutinized the seals he had inked onto them last night, and found them to be exactly as they had been when he had successfully tested them.

Straight flying kunai worked exceedingly well with what he had dubbed his _chakushufuu_. The seals had managed to triple the power of a normally thrown kunai without growing unstable, but as the force went up the chakra required followed exponentially. He could easily manage about twice his normal throwing power for a full brace of kunai. Any faster and he would quickly drain his reserves.

"Well, aren't we punctual?" he nearly leapt from his skin when he heard his sensei right behind him, "Gotta work on that situational awareness, though."

Laughter could be heard from the nearby gate guards, and it only got worse when Masaru shot them a dirty look. He sighed in defeat and turned to face his sensei.

"So where are we going?" he asked curiously. The frown he got in return was a bit disconcerting.

"Just follow me, and try to keep up," Hiroto told him. The plain looking man jogged out the gate and hopped up into the canopy of the surrounding forest heading south-east. Masaru followed suit, and managed to match his sensei's pace by trickling chakra to his legs.

They didn't have far to travel; he estimated they had gone about seven kilometers. A large structure loomed out of a clearing in the woods. A compund with walls nearly as high as Konoha's, but made entirely of stone. The place seemed foreboding and gave the impression that what went in didn't come back out.

"Stick close to me," Hiroto ordered seriously, "The defenses on this place were designed, in part, by your Kaa-san."

Masaru could feel the blood drain from his face. His mother wasn't the sheltering type, and had willingly shown him exactly what some of her more diabolical traps could do. The pictures had been disturbing enough, but it had been the live test pigs that had really driven the point home. Despite what she jokingly called them, her inventions were far from toys. He gladly remained a step behind his sensei all the way to a heavily fortified door.

The door opened for them before any indication of their arrival could be made; more proof of the security about the place. Inside to greet them was a man a bit taller than Hiroto. Unlike most of the shinobi of Konoha, this one wore a gray button up long sleeve shirt with matching pants. Curiously, his eyes were completely covered by bandages wound about the upper half of his head and his hitai-ate.

"Right on time, Hiroto-san," the man greeted in a mild tone, "This is the first one, Hibaku Masaru, then?"

"It is," the jonin confirmed, "Masaru-kun, this is Tonbo-san. He has graciously agreed to allow us the use of his facility for your test."

"What is this place?" Masaru asked uneasily, "What's the test?"

Tonbo motioned them inside and closed the door behind them, "This is Konoha Prison. Non-shinobi criminals captured by our forces are kept here for the duration of their sentence."

He led them down a winding corridor, unlocking various security gates with keys or chakra as they were required. They soon found themselves on the other side of the tall walls. There was only a ten foot wide path around the perimeter of a square shaped pit sunk twenty feet into the ground. Masaru could see prisoners milling about the depression, getting their daily allotment of sunshine. On the walkway were a few shinobi intently watching the prisoners.

"Clear the yard," Tonbo called out to the guards, who moved to comply, "Someone bring up Widow."

"The prison is mostly underground," Hiroto explained to his student, "The facility is for non-shinobi prisoners, but every now and then, we get a hold of a chakra savant. The extra measures are meant to control them."

"Chakra savant?" Masaru asked curiously. That term hadn't come up in the academy, to his memory.

"Someone without formal training that can manipulate their chakra," his sensei explained, "They come up with all sorts of interesting ways to use the stuff. Some of our most famous jutsu are based on the work of chakra savants."

"Like what?" he asked eagerly. This was good information to have.

"Kawarimi, for one," Hiroto told him, "Legend has it modern genjutsu started with a single chakra savant as well."

"The inventor of kawarimi wasn't even a ninja?" the teen asked in disbelief.

Hiroto nodded sagely, "Remember, Masaru-kun, this profession isn't all that old, but people have been using chakra for quite some time."

"First team and already quite the teacher," Tonbo offered jokingly as he rejoined them, "Widow's ready to go, Hiroto-san. You sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," he answered grimly, "You know why."

Tonbo nodded and sighed, "Just making sure you were prepared for the guilt. It's one thing for it to happen by chance on a mission, but to purposely place them in the situation..."

"Umm..." Masaru interrupted nervously, "What are we talking about?"

"Widow understands the deal?" Hiroto asked Tonbo. At the blind man's nod he turned to Masaru.

"In that pit is a criminal," he began to explain, "She has been sentenced to death by one of the daimyo's judges. Got it so far?"

Masaru nodded uneasily, "Yea."

"Good," Hiroto said, though it sounded like anything about this was, "Your test is to carry out the execution."

* * *

A/N: School finally reared its ugly head and demanded my undivided attention last week. After two papers and a particularly hard circuit project, I was a tad burned out. Took me nearly four days to work up the energy to write. When I did, I couldn't conjure the words. Bonus points if you can spot where I started fighting with writer's block. More points if you figure out what Hiroto is talking about when he says "walking pun."

I think I might maintain this more sedate writing pace. As of this posting, the story is 66,254 words (That's all content. I didn't include author notes). That's over 5000 words a week, not including the copious notes I make to keeps shit straight. Since I'm taking 16 credit hours next semester, things are going to get crazy. I'm just happy the benefits I earned in the military allow me to go to school full time without having to work. Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving for my American readers. For everyone else, hope you had a good Thursday.

EDIT: I feel like a straight ass for forgetting to mention a couple of things. The first: thanks to Schermionie for the ridiculously long review and the website suggestions to help improve my grammar. I also need to thank my buddy Daniel for his help with this story. He has been a sounding board for my ideas and an idea engine all his own. He is also gracious enough to go over my work to spot check it for spelling and continuity errors. Thanks, Daniel. You've been a great friend.

Hibaku Masaru  
Rank: Genin  
Gender: Male  
Birth Date: December 3  
Hair: Copper  
Eyes: Blue  
Height: 5' 5" (165.1 cm)  
Weight: 140 lbs (63.5 kg)  
Hibaku Masaru is the only son of Natsumi. He is a mathematical genius, focusing his talent on chemistry, physics, and mechanical engineering. His mother has trained him in the art of trapping, and he is a self-taught sealer.

_Chakushufuu_ (Launch Seal)  
Type: Fuuinjutsu  
Rank: C  
Effect: This seal can store a large number of small objects, such as kunai or shuriken. Unlike most seals, which release all of their stored mass at once, these seals can release a single item at a time. In addition, they can impart kinetic force to the object. This essentially makes them a seal version of a mechanical kunai launcher.


	13. Masaru's Blooding

Osamu made his way to the door, somewhat confused by his old sensei's visit. She had her own team now, and would most likely be conducting her own test for them today. He opened the door to greet Kurenai, and grinned at what he saw after his sensitive eyes had adjusted to the bright sunlight.

"Kurenai-sensei, that is an excellent copy of Iruka-sensei," he told the genjutsu disguised woman.

The image of his academy instructor faded, giving way to a pensive, red-eyed beauty, "One of these days, I'm going to figure out how you do that."

Osamu laughed and motioned for her to come in, "Good to see you, sensei. I was gonna have some tea out back to settle my nerves. Want to join me?"

"That sounds good," she replied as she removed her footwear, "Jitters about your test?"

He nodded as they made their way through the house, "Masaru is with Hiroto-sensei now," he stopped in the kitchen to retrieve the now whistling kettle and a pair of cups, "Go on out back, sensei. Don't mind the cats. Their harmless."

He joined her shortly balancing a tray, to find her standing stock still with two cougars and a tiger sniffing her legs. He could tell from their vertical tails that they were just curious, but her hand was inching slowly towards her equipment pouch.

"Get out of here!" Osamu barked at the large felines, who bolted away in surprise, "Sorry. They get nosy when they meet someone new."

"How many of those things do you take care of?" she asked in exasperation.

"There's about ten on our land right now," he answered, "Any more and we would probably go broke feeding them."

"Like the Inuzuka all over again, but with cats," She shook her head in disbelief, "Do they all shrink, or is it just Yancha and Zuki?"

"Ah ah, sensei," he chided good-naturedly, "You know better than to ask someone about their hijutsu."

She laughed, "Not nearly as open as the Inuzuka."

He set the tray down on a nearby table shaded by a large umbrella set out in the grass. He served their tea and settled in, "So what brings you by, sensei? Aren't you testing your own team today?"

She sipped her tea and smiled at the taste, "I am, but not till noon. I wanted to do one last review of what we've learned. I refuse to hand you off to another without ensuring I've taught you all I can."

He smirked at her, "Okay, sensei. Go ahead."

"Where is Ren-san?" she asked looking around. Kurenai was amazingly secretive about her art. She went as far as to elicit an oath from Osamu that he wouldn't teach it to anyone but a worthy student.

"She rushed out after a messenger brought her a note," he said, frowning in thought, "Must have been important. She didn't even finish her breakfast."

XxXxXxX

Ren walked through the streets at a brisk pace with Zuki trotting beside her. The mid-morning crowd parted easily for her despite her small stature, and she grimaced at their silly superstitions. The fox district had been avoided for over twelve years now for fear of evil spirits haunting it. She and the few other residents of the place were seen as breakers of some unspoken taboo.

Every now and then, though, some silly fool would work up the courage to come to her door asking her to exorcise a demon or other foul spirit. More often than not, there was nothing going on but a string of bad luck, but people paid her good money to walk around with some incense and chant nonsense. From time to time she did actually root out a nest of imps or chase off a fouler form of demon. On one occasion she had encountered an agitated kami, and had a hell of a time figuring out how to calm it.

Today a shaky messenger had knocked on her door to bring her a cordial summons. He had bolted away as soon as the missive was in her hands. She had found it to be a message from one of her fellow Watchers; one she expected was quite high up the unspoken chain of command. It had nothing to do with their shared occupation, of course.

_Sakibou Ren_

_ I find myself in need of your specific talents at my family's flower shop. I believe you have patronized us before, and know the location. Please come at once._

_ Thank you,_

_ Yamanaka Inoichi_

She suspected the Yamanaka patron knew of her extensive training in espionage, and his message didn't assuage that. It held no indication that they would discuss anything other than spirits, her very well-known expertise, but she got the distinct impression something else was going on.

She arrived at the shop to find the mentalist outside tending to some display flowers. Watching a hardened shinobi walking around in a flowery apron fussing over plants was amusing, but they had business to discuss.

"Inoichi-sama," she called out as she approached, "You sent for me?"

He turned and smiled warmly, "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Ren-san. Please don't bother with that 'sama' nonsense."

He motioned for her to follow him inside, and when she did, she had to reconsider her earlier suspicions. She could feel the distinct taint of a demon. It wasn't here currently, but had been recently.

She followed the clan leader through the shop, nodding in greeting to the employee behind the counter. She gave Zuki the distinct impression he should stay down here and keep an eye out. Lying down under a table to clean himself, he complied without complaint.

They made their way upstairs and entered what looked like an office. Inoichi shut the door behind them and began to run through hand signs.

"I'm not normally one to be superstitious," he said as his hand flew through dozens of signs, "but... odd things have been occurring about my establishment."

He finally finished the string of signs, and Ren could literally feel the various privacy measures hum to life.

"There," Inoichi said, dropping the previous line of conversation, "Now we can discuss why you're really here."

"Actually, Inoichi-san," she stopped him, "There was a demon here recently."

He blinked his pupiless eyes at her in surprise, "Really?"

"Yes," she answered seriously, "Was there anyone here that seemed depressed, angry, or was expressing any other negative emotions in abundance?"

"My daughter," he said immediately, "She was rather put out that the boy she fancies was placed on another team."

"Jealousy..." Ren stated easily, "It can definitely attract some of the larger demons if it is powerful enough."

A worried look passed over the man's face, "You mean a beast like that one you found after the Uchiha incident is following my daughter?"

"Do not fret," she quickly began to assure him, "The creature can't harm her. It is only leaching her jealousy for food. After this I can track it down and deal with it if you like."

The worry eased a bit from his face, but didn't disappear entirely, "Very well. The reason I called you here is to discuss a matter the Hokage wishes us to deal with."

She quirked a dark eyebrow in interest; so far she hadn't been called to do anything overt in her duties.

"What do you know about an organization ROOT?" Inoichi asked.

"Not much," she answered honestly, "I have noticed a few locations with an odd symbol... like the lower half of a tree. Also some missives with a similar mark."

"That's them," he confirmed, "They are an officially disbanded branch of the ANBU. Shimura Danzo maintains them in secret."

"Not very well, apparently," Ren offered dryly.

"One of our Watchers witnessed an unsanctioned mission in Ame that tipped us off," Inoichi explained, "Hokage-sama allows Danzo to continue his operations since he has a habit of finding and eliminating spies and traitors."

"Cagey old bastard," Ren laughed, "I chose the right village it seems."

Inoichi nodded in agreement, "ROOT has targeted someone they shouldn't have, though. One Ryoukou Hiroto."

"That's my otouto's jonin-sensei," she told him worriedly, "Is his loyalty suspect?"

"It always has been by a few... he is a defector from Kumogakure," he replied.

Ren felt her chest tighten in sudden fear. Her brother's sensei was from the village that had tried to kill them. She had yet to hear the name of the defector, but for him to be the very man that was supposed to lead Osamu... it was a bit too much. She began to berate herself for not digging for information on him. She had figured the Hokage wouldn't give him her brother of all people.

"Are you okay, Ren-san?" Inoichi asked worriedly.

"Kumo killed everyone in my clan!" she nearly screamed in hysteria, "Now one of their shinobi is Osamu's sensei... of course I'm not 'okay'!"

Strong hands gripped her shoulders, "Calm down."

She began to hyperventilate as she was assaulted with memories from that awful night. Leaving her mother to die alone. Getting caught just shy of freedom. The smell of her captor's hot breath as he attempted to molest her...

"Calm down, Ren-san!" Inoichi said more forcefully, "Hiroto-san's service record shows absolutely no reason to suspect him. He has the backing of both the Inuzuka and Hyuga leaders, and he has the trust of the Sandaime himself."

She managed to get her breathing under control and put a clamp on the flow of terrible memories. She took one last shuddering breath and squared her shoulders.

"You should not have seen that," she said quietly, closing her eyes against the suddenly bright light. Her pupils had dilated to their maximum in her anxiety. Inoichi removed his support once he saw she had steadied herself.

"Trust me, Ren-san. I understand your trepidation," he told her kindly, "Hiroto-san refuses to elaborate on his reasons for defection. The Hokage knows the whole story, but he has respected the man's wishes."

He left out the part where he had seen the man's memories of the Sakibou clan massacre. The Hokage had sworn him to secrecy on that. He felt Ren deserved to know, but he would never break the Hokage's trust in such a way.

"You don't trust him?" she asked. She reopened her eyes, and found the light back at more bearable levels.

The Yamanaka winced in discomfort. He would need to fib some to keep his oath, "I can't trust his intentions when I don't know them. Either way, Danzo targeted one of the best shinobi in the village. The assassin wasn't up to the task, though. Hiroto-san wasn't even injured."

"That doesn't sound right," Ren began to pace around the office to shake off the vestiges of her panic attack, "Why send someone you know can't perform the task?"

"A message, maybe..." Inoichi mused, leaning against the wall, "Or a distraction."

"Distraction from what?" Ren asked, "Is there someone else close to him that Danzo might target?"

"Hiroto-san is Uzumaki Naruto's legal guardian," Inoichi offered, "Danzo has been known to recruit orphaned youths..."

"You can drop that charade, Inoichi-san," Ren told him, "I know the boy is a jinchuuriki."

"How..." he stopped when she merely tapped a finger to her temple, indicating her eyes, "You can sense the demon even when it's sealed?"

"Biju aren't demons," she countered absently as she paced, "A jinchuuriki would be a powerful weapon if trained right. Has Hiroto-san exhibited any signs of carrying the boy off?"

He decided to let the odd comment pass in favor of their current task, "None that I know of. Danzo has always expressed an interest in taking the boy under his wing, though. He had expressed displeasure at Naruto's slow progress in ability at our last meeting."

"That might be it," Ren mused, "Danzo expected an accomplished shinobi like Hiroto-san to train him better. Perhaps he is trying to distract Hiroto-san from Naruto-kun so he can make a play for the boy."

"An interesting theory, but a distinct possibility," Inoichi allowed thoughtfully, "We will explore it further. Are you familiar with informal information dissemination?"

"You mean rumor-mongering?" she asked with a smirk, "I know how to do it."

Inoichi snorted in amusement, "I need you to spread a few rumors for me."

XxXxXxX

"You want me to WHAT!?" Masaru cried out in surprise. He wasn't sure if it was a passing cloud, but the morning sunshine seemed to dim suddenly.

"I don't want you to do anything," Hiroto replied seriously, "This is a test of your fortitude and desire to walk the path of a shinobi. Did you expect to go your entire career without bloodying your hands?"

"I... no," Masaru stumbled over his words, "It's just..."

"You don't have to do this," Tonbo offered helpfully. He leaned against the wall a few paces behind Hiroto.

"True enough," Hiroto agreed, "But I will send you back to the academy and recommend immediate expulsion from the corps based on lack of mental fortitude."

"I'll be decommissioned?" Masaru whispered, "But I haven't even done a mission yet."

"Not necessarily," Hiroto admitted evenly, "I can only recommend you be put out. That decision is up to the Hokage. He does take my thoughts very seriously, though."

"B-but why?" Masaru asked in desperation.

"What is the first rule in the Shinobi Code?" Hiroto countered with his own question.

"One must be prepared to kill and die for the village," Masaru answered in miserable defeat, "If they kick me out, I won't be able to study fuuinjutsu anymore, will I?"

"I highly doubt it," Tonbo answered, turning his sightless face towards them, "The fact you were able to study such a dangerous art as an academy student speaks volumes about Natsumi-san's sway in the village."

A tear trickled down Masaru's cheek, "It's all I have of him..."

"I know, Masaru-kun..." Hiroto looked down sadly at him. He seemed to ponder that particular issue before saying, "Whether or not you pass this test, I will ask the Hokage for any information he can give me."

Masaru looked up at him in bewilderment, "You would do that... even if I fail?"

"Of course," Hiroto smiled at him, "I lost both my parents at a fairly young age. I understand wanting to hold onto whatever you can of him. I also don't want you feeling coerced."

"T-thank you," Masaru stuttered out as he wiped his eyes roughly with his arm.

"Now about this test..." Hiroto went back to unforgiving soldier in an instant, "Widow is on death row for a reason, Masaru-kun. Her death is guaranteed. Your test is to give it to her."

Masaru backed himself against the cold stone wall for support as he contemplated an act that he knew would come up eventually. He just never expected it so soon. Would his mother be disappointed if he failed here? She had proudly told him that her kill count was surpassed by only one other shinobi, and that man had been the Yondaime Hokage. He shook off those thoughts. This was his decision, his test. His mother had always taught him to be his own person and damn what anyone else thought.

The real question was: did he want to end his career, here and now? He didn't doubt Hiroto would do just what he promised, or that the Hokage would seriously consider decommissioning him on the jonin's suggestion.

"What did she do?" he asked suddenly.

"I won't tell you," Hiroto denied him coldly, "This won't be the last time you are asked to kill. You will know even less than you do now about some targets."

He groaned in frustration. How could he just go down there and kill a woman he had never met.

"You are going about this the wrong way, Masaru-kun," Tonbo said, as if he had read his mind, "You are thinking of Widow as a person. She is only a target to you. Will you strike that target down, or leave it standing?"

He looked at Tonbo, dumbstruck by the callous way he reduced the woman to nothing more than an object to be destroyed. The more he thought about it, though, the more it made sense. Think of her as a target and not a person allowed him to stomach the idea of killing her easier.

"I..." he stopped for a moment to be sure he could do this, "I'll do it."

Hiroto nodded, "Be sure. It makes you no less of a person if you choose not to do this."

"No..." Masaru squared his shoulders, "I can do this. I have to do this."

Before his sensei could say anything else, he leapt the railing into the pit.

XxXxXxX

"Let's start with an easy one," Kurenai set down her tea, "What are the two primary types of genjutsu?"

"Easy is an understatement," Osamu stated with a hint of amusement, "External and internal. The first is experienced by everyone in range of their senses; the second is experienced only by the targets."

"Good," Kurenai smiled at his arrogance, "How many senses are there, and what are they?"

Osamu cursed under his breath. He always got this one wrong, and she would never tell him what he was missing, "There are nine," she nodded in agreement, "Sight, hearing, scent, taste, touch, time, balance, body orientation..."

"Proper terms, please," she interrupted.

He rolled his eyes. She was such a stickler for exact wording, "Proprioception."

He stalled there, trying to think of an answer for the last one.

"Come on, Osa-kun," she goaded, "You haven't figured it out yet?"

He wracked his brain for the right answer. He could name his own unique spiritual sense, but that didn't occur in everyone. It would also be going against his sister's orders about keeping their powers a secret.

"I'll give you a hint," she finally said, "It has something to do with why I find it odd you can always tell it's me."

He considered her most recent attempt to fool him. The illusion of Iruka _had _been really good. Practically perfect. He didn't doubt that he could have touched it. That meant the last sense wasn't internal. Could it be...

"Chakra," he ventured cautiously.

"Good!" Kurenai congratulated clapping her hands together, "It's about time you got it. Everyone can sense chakra from the tiny emanations that come off of living creatures. Some are more sensitive than others, though. I thought you were a natural sensor after our first meeting."

"I kinda am," he admitted truthfully.

"That's the thing," she went on, "You can't identify someone by their chakra. You can ballpark based on the strength of the signature or natural affinities, but there is no real way to be accurate. There are most likely exceptions out there, though."

That was good info to have. A decent sensor could probably easily pick him out of a crowd simply for his unusual chakra.

"Hmmm," she tapped her chin in thought, "How many genjutsu techniques are there?"

"That's a trick question," he fired back immediately, "There is really only one technique. Chakra is shaped solely based on your imagination when forming the illusion."

"Why are hand seals necessary, then?" she countered, "And why do they differ from illusion to illusion."

"Hand seals aren't truly necessary for any technique," he answered, drawing on the chakra training his sister had put him through, "They aid us in shaping chakra by calling up the proper thought patterns required. The same goes for naming the technique. It solidifies the process in our mind."

"My, my," she said mockingly, "Quite the academic. So why is there only one true genjutsu?"

"Because the initial shape is always the same; even with internal and external forms," he shot back smugly, "The differences in the constructs are subtle. That's why those who can see chakra directly can recognize genjutsu so easily. Seen one, seen 'em all."

She smiled at him, taking a small amount of pride in his progress, "There are ways to fool that, by the way, but I think I'll let you develop your own. I think I have taught you just about everything I can. You have all the necessary tools to become a genjutsu master in your own right."

He smiled happily at the praise. Genjutsu wasn't just something he excelled at. No one else in his peer group knew more than how to identify and break the illusions. He could already weave together genjutsu that could fool two senses at once in an area, and three if he targeted only one or two people.

He stood and bowed to her, "Thank you for teaching me, Kurenai-sensei."

She rose herself and stretched languidly, "You have been an excellent student. Thank you for the tea, but I need to go prepare my test site."

He saw her to the door and remained smiling until he found his cat outside with a rabbit in her bloody maw.

"Yancha," he said in exasperation, "How many times do I have to tell you. You do not need to hunt for me. I'm growing just fine."

XxXxXxX

"UAGH! Where is that one eyed bastard!?" Naruto cried out in disgust, throwing himself down onto the grass. He swore he could hear a grunt of agreement from the bastard nearby.

He heard the approach of footsteps from behind, and craned his neck to see the Uchiha himself approaching. The dark eyed boy stopped a few feet away and began to stare, as if unsure how to start a conversation.

"Yes..." Naruto asked in a leading manner. He didn't like Sasuke at all, but Hiroto had made it clear that he should at least make an effort to keep it cordial.

"That other jonin yesterday... you called him Nii-san," Sasuke stated flatly.

"Sure did," Naruto confirmed, biting back the smart-ass remark that had come to mind first, "What about him?"

"He seemed to know our sensei. Did he tell you anything?"

Naruto sat up and turned around to face Sasuke. Sakura had taken an interest in the conversation, as well, and wandered closer.

"Umm..." Naruto stalled to dredge up what he had learned from a night of pestering Hiroto, "He's supposed to be some sort of prodigy. Graduated the academy at six, was a chunin before ten, and a jonin at our age."

The other two genin stared in disbelief at the description. They couldn't reconcile their image of the lazy slouch with it.

"He's also never passed a team," Naruto went on grimly, "Nii-san wouldn't tell me anything about the test, though. Said it was a professional courtesy... why are you looking at me like that?"

Sakura started in surprise when he said that last part as she realized he was talking directly to her. She had been staring at him oddly. She had never expecting the class clown to go out of his way to find information on anything, "I just... didn't expect..."

"Didn't expect me to be a fountain of information?" Naruto chuckled mirthlessly, "Guess I brought that on myself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked. He was a little surprised, too.

"Nii-san told me that you should always strive for people to underestimate you," the blonde explained, "Guess I went a little too far."

"You mean all those bad grades are just for show?" Sakura asked. A slight hope that she wouldn't have to deal with dead weight was starting to shine.

"Actually..." Naruto began to rub the back of his head nervously, "I suck with theory stuff, so most of my grades are pretty accurate."

Sakura's face fell, the brief moment of hope over.

"What about practical stuff?" Sasuke asked with a slight hint of interest.

"Nii-san's been training me since I was five," Naruto said proudly, "I can hold my own."

"We'll see," Sasuke shot back incredulously. He wasn't willing to take the clown's word for it, but he was willing to see what he could do. Sasuke needed strong people around him to help drive him to new heights.

Naruto just snorted at his tone, "You ever evade every chunin on patrol in the village after managing to paint the whole Hokage Monument."

He smiled to see that shut Sasuke up.

"You got caught by Iruka-sensei, though," Sakura piped in.

"Yea," he agreed with an embarrassed grin, "I broke Nii-san's first rule."

"What's that?" the Uchiha asked.

"Never stop to gloat," Naruto answered.

Sakura face-palmed, but Sasuke's lips actually quirked ever so slightly in amusement, "That's actually some good advice."

Anyone passing by might have thought the Uchiha had uttered a pronouncement to the end of the world by the way Naruto and Sakura were gawking at him. He ignored them and walked back to his tree to resume his wait. Naruto shook off the shock first. Seeing he had Sakura away from Sasuke, he took his chance.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," he said brightly, "Want to get some ramen after the test?"

Her back went rigid as her automatic Naruto-date-request-response-mode activated. She turned and walloped him across the head, "NO, YOU IDIOT! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT?"

Sakura immediately calmed when she saw she had grounded the would-be paramour. She looked back towards Sasuke, and, as if she hadn't just flogged one of her teammates, glided over to him as gracefully as she could.

"Sasuke-kun," she lilted, batting her eyelashes, "Want to get something to eat after our test."

She completely missed his eye twitching in annoyance.

XxXxXxX

"Bout damn time, ya little shit."

The woman known as 'Widow' was, Masaru decided, extremely rude.

She might have been quite attractive once. Time in prison had taken the luster out of her auburn hair and green eyes, and the baggy beige uniform forced onto the prisoners hid much of her petite frame. She was looking at him with the same sort of expression he'd seen on the faces of the cats around the Sakibou land as they stalked prey.

She was unchained and unguarded, and he could see the dull gleam of a kunai in her right hand. He surmised quickly that this trial wasn't just to see if he could do the deed; it was designed to measure his skills in real combat. He doubted seriously that his sensei would put his life in terrible danger for the sake of a test, but he could tell this woman was a killer and wouldn't think twice about slitting his throat.

He drew a single kunai from the pouch on his left hip and began to stalk forward cautiously. He maintained a ready stance as he moved, just as Iruka had taught the class. Widow just smiled eerily at him and rushed forward all at once. Her right hand shot out in a sloppy attempt to pierce his heart. He easily moved out of the way, but alarms went off in his head when he noticed the air was moving wrong. He immediately dove into a forward role, and the action saved his life. Instead of a sliced throat, he had a light graze across the shoulder.

"Damnit!" Widow cursed as she faded into sight a short distance away.

"Chakra savant," Masaru muttered, suddenly realizing his sensei had been giving him hints. He squared with her again, paying careful attention to all of his senses like Osamu had taught him.

"I don't suppose you could just die?" Widow asked with a pout.

"Not likely," Masaru said mildly as he reached into the pouch on his right hip. He pulled out a handful of small pellets and scattered them about his position.

Widow narrowed her eyes, trying to discern their purpose, "C'mon... If I win I get to leave this hell hole."

That explained how Hiroto had managed to talk a death row inmate into this little show. He highly doubted the jonin had any intention of following through on that promise, "You'll be leaving. Don't worry."

She snarled at him, and rushed in again. Instead of watching her approach, he kept his eyes on the pellets he had thrown around himself. He saw one of the pellets go off with a hot flash and loud bang and threw his kunai towards it. He was rewarded with a yelp of pain, and Widow faded back in favoring a leg and a limp bleeding arm.

"The hell was that?" she growled, limping backwards away from him. He could see a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Mini-mine," Masaru explained, "Pressure sets off an exothermic chemical reaction."

She just stared dumbly at him.

"You step on it, it explodes," he dumbed down in exasperation, "Hardly lethal, but worse than caltrops."

He considered his target carefully. She was fast, but untrained and a bit clumsy. Her genjutsu was impressive at first glance, but compared to the intricate illusions Osamu could construct, they were easy to see through. Now that he had injured her, it would be safer to close with her.

He did just that. He leapt free of the mini-mine field he had created and charged her. He realized his mistake when she smiled viciously at him. Widow's hurt foot shot up in a powerful kick when he came within range. So surprised by the act was Masaru, the foot found its way into his crotch. Stunned and sickened from having his groin assaulted, he was unable to dodge the hammer blow to his temple. He fell to the dirt, his vision wavering.

Her form blurred slightly and he saw that she had used her illusions to seem far more hurt than she actually was. Widow knelt next him, the kunai she held hovering teasingly over his heart.

"Poor little boy," she mocked the tone of a worried mother, "Got hurt playing at being a shinobi."

Even with his head swimming he felt a jolt of anger surge through him, "I _am_ a shinobi," he growled out.

Her only answer was to plunge the blade down with a cruel laugh. She didn't see his hand come up at the same time, palm pointed at her heart. In his fear, rage, and desperation, Masaru could barely control the chakra he directed into the seal.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the kunai she held drew closer to his chest. The seal on his hand wavered from the sheer amount of chakra he had given it, but it held and, more importantly, activated. A kunai burst forward so fast that Widow was thrown backwards as it entered, then passed completely through, her body with a fountain of red gore. A loud cracking sounded through the prison as the flying kunai buried itself in the stone of the pit wall.

She lived long enough for the surprise to show on her face. The kunai that had been about to plunge into his chest had fallen from suddenly weak fingers before the blade could even pierce his skin. Her eyes went glassy, and it was a small mercy the momentum of the kunai had carried her backwards so he couldn't see the death mask for more than a moment.

He stared dumbfounded at the corpse. He had entered the pit with every intention of doing what he had just done. Now that the deed was done, he felt sick to his stomach. He rolled to his hands and knees and painted the hard packed earth with his breakfast. He felt a strong hand on his shoulder when he was done.

"You going to be alright?" his sensei asked.

"I..." he shivered a bit, "I don't know."

He looked again over at his handiwork. Tonbo was crouched over the body. He had it turned on its side to examine the ragged exit wound from the launched kunai.

"How did you do this, Masaru-kun?" he asked in bewilderment, "I felt a chakra spike and thought you used some sort of jutsu, but I found the kunai..."

The teen turned away from the body and focused on the technical nature of the question, "I made a seal that can properly launch small objects. I put one on each of my palms."

Hiroto grabbed hold of one of his hands and inspected the seal there. He let the hand and the subject drop, however, "Come on. Let's get you back to Konoha."

"What about..." he waved in the general direction of his victim, unable to look again.

"I will dispose of the body and clear the yard," Tonbo answered.

They departed in haste, Masaru setting a break-neck pace as if to run from what had just happened.

"Seventeen," Hiroto finally said as they came up to the gate and slowed so the guards didn't think they were invaders.

"What?" Masaru asked, confused. He had been lost in his own dark thoughts. He had been wondering how the sun could still be shining, or how the gate guards could greet him with any hint of friendliness after what he had just done.

"That's how many people she killed before she was caught," Hiroto explained quietly, "She would murder women and take their place using her illusions as a disguise. After that she would kill their husbands or lovers."

The boy stared dumbly at his sensei, "Seventeen people..."

"We caught her as she was about to kill her ninth male victim," Hiroto went on, "As I understand it, she was very upset that she wasn't able to complete the pair."

It wasn't much, but knowing the woman he had killed was so despicable lifted a tiny bit of weight off his shoulders, "Thank you, sensei."

Hiroto checked the position of the sun, "I still have about an hour before it's Hotaka-kun's time. I'll take you home."

XxXxXxX

Natsumi looked up from her work when she heard the door to her workshop open. She took in the bloodied and miserable appearance of her son, then the grim expression on the man standing behind him.

"Did he fail?" she asked seriously. She wasn't sure what her son had just been through, but the look on his sensei's face didn't look good.

"He passed," Hiroto answered.

"Then what's with the gloomy looks?" she asked a bit confused.

"His test was to execute a death-row prisoner," the jonin explained, "The death was somewhat messy, but it was quick."

Natsumi's brows shot up at the proclamation. She looked closer at her only child. Sure enough she could see the haunted look almost everyone she had ever known had after their first kills.

"C'mere, boy," she ordered gruffly.

He approached warily, like a timid wild animal. When he was close enough, she enveloped him in a tight embrace, "You didn't do anything wrong, Masa-kun," she whispered to him gently. Such shows of maternal affection were rare for her, but she knew he needed it.

She could feel him shaking a little, but he didn't cry. She was proud of him for that.

"Tell me, Hiroto-san," she said to the man icily without letting go of her son, "Is this how they tested you in Kumo?"

"I can't quite remember my genin test," he admitted, "I take it you do not approve."

"As a mother... no," she agreed slowly. She really had to consider that her son was a full fledged ninja, though, "but as a shinobi, I have to say you did the best thing you could for him."

"How can I expect Mayu-san and Ren-san to feel about this?" he asked her.

"Mayu might try to kill you at first," she warned seriously, "But she will accept it after she calms down. I'm not sure about Ren... I don't know if she has ever killed before."

Hiroto nodded in thanks and left. She continued to hold her child until the light shaking stopped and he pulled away on his own, "Better?"

He nodded, though his eyes were still haunted. He would have nightmares tonight; she was sure.

"Kaa-san, why do you never talk about Tou-san?" he asked her seriously.

She almost shut him down as she always did, but the tone of his voice gave her pause. She sighed sadly, "Because I can't." she admitted.

The confused look on his face was all the question she needed, "His existence is a class-S secret," she explained.

His face fell, and in light of what he had been through she felt she owed him something, "He was a good man, Masa. Intelligent, driven, and a bit scatterbrained. One day I will tell you all about him, but for now I can't."

He sighed in defeat and slumped down on a nearby stool, staring off into space. She went back to her work, understanding that he needed time.

XxXxXxX

Hotaka landed lightly on his feet and stared daggers at the tree he'd been using. It was covered in the scars of his previous attempts to scale it without his hands, but none of those marks were above the first branch just under ten feet up. He was covered in sweat from the exertion, but he was used to such discomforts.

"Do you ever stop training?" he turned around to see his sensei walking up.

"Kaa-san makes me take breaks," he replied, annoyed by the thought, "And she won't let me exercise on Sundays."

Hiroto shook his head in mild amazement, "I'm surprised you are already attempting tree climbing."

"I can't master Koodorikaze without it," he explained, "First I must be able to stick to solids. Then I must be able to walk upon water. Once I can do that, I can learn to walk on the air itself."

Hiroto's eyebrows went up ever so slightly, "Your Tou-san's style called for walking on air... I would very much like to see that."

"Well, then," Hotaka smiled brightly, "Let's get this test over with, and we can get down to some real training."

Hiroto nodded, and the genin found his frown a bit foreboding, "Follow me, then."

* * *

A/N: This slower update rate is much better for me. I'll try to keep it as constant as I can. To tell the truth, I'm quite surprised I've stayed as focused on this as I have. Used to be I would start writing something and then my muse would just fly away with it... Fickle bitch.

As a quick aside: proprioception is an actual psycho-neurological term used for our ability to sense where the different parts of our body are in relation to each other. Looks like that Psychology 101 class wasn't so useless after all.

Sakibou Ren  
Rank: Watcher  
Gender: Female  
Birth Date: October 27  
Hair: Black  
Eyes: Yellow-green  
Height: 5' 2" (157.5 cm)  
Weight: 100 lbs (45.4 kg)  
Sakibou Ren is Osamu's elder sister and the only other known survivor of their clan. Trained from an early age in the arts of diplomacy and espionage, the Sandaime makes use of her as one of his Watchers. This loose organization acts as the Hokage's spies within his own village.

_Reimokushi_ (Spirit Sight)  
Type: Kekkei Genkai (Sensory)  
Rank: A  
Effect: This ability is unconfirmed as an actual bloodline. It allows the user to detect spiritual energy in their vicinity. There are four types: _Akumamokushi_ (Demon Sight), _Kamimokushi_ (God/Divine Sight), _Youmamokushi_ (Ghost Sight), and _Reikimokushi_ (Aura Sight). Those with one of these abilities are collectively known as 'Spirit Talkers' by the denizens of the spirit realm. Despite the name, the ability is actually a full sensory experience, not just a visual one.


	14. Burning Hotaka's Innocence

"Yo," Kakashi greeted upon appearing in the training area.

"YOU'RE LATE!" screamed the louder of his two students. He had to admit that none of his other teams had the courage to yell at him for something that was, honestly, unacceptable. That was a point in their favor.

"Sorry," he replied in as insincere a tone as he could manage, "I got lost on the road to life."

His complete disregard for his own tardiness shut them up, but he could see they were still seething.

"Let's get this test out of the way," he said in a false chipper voice. He pulled out his alarm clock, "This clock is set for noon. You have until then to get a bell."

He showed them the two bells.

"But there are only two..." Naruto said, scratching his head in confusion.

"Glad to see you can count," Kakashi shot back with undisguised sarcasm, "If you get a bell you pass. If not, I tie you to the post and you get no lunch. I'm also going to send you back to the academy."

"WHAT!?" again Sakura and Naruto synced up. He honestly wondered if the girl knew she was just as annoying as the blonde.

"Most likely none of you will even get a bell," he told them as he tied the bells to a belt loop, "Out of the ten teams I've tested, not a single one has passed."

Oh how he savored the looks of horror. Even the broody Uchiha's eyes widened slightly. He set the clock down on the post and smiled at them, "You might want to come at me with the intent to kill... otherwise you'll never get a bell."

XxXxXxX

Ino burst into her family's flower shop muttering about stupid tests and lazy team members. She knew it had been a forlorn hope to be placed with Sasuke, considering the way her father and his team had been. The higher-ups were probably looking for a repeat of that dream team. Too bad Shikimaru was too lazy to be bothered with anything, and Choji was more interested in stuffing his face than being productive.

The sight of her father speaking with a pretty young woman with a black cat curled in his arms caused many of her complaints to fall right out of her head. Her mother was gone on a business trip, and here he was chatting up the first pretty thing to walk into the shop.

Before she could figure a way to butt into the conversation he saw he and beckoned her over, "Ino-chan, I want you to meet Sakibou Ren."

Ino approached, eying the woman her father had been talking to. It wasn't until Ren turned to look at her that she realized exactly who this was.

"You're the woman who cons superstitious people out of money," she blurted without thinking.

Her father frowned disapprovingly at her, but the cat-eyed woman just smirked in amusement, "Nice to meet you, too," she said with a bit of sarcasm, "My otouto warned me you weren't afraid to speak your mind."

The feline in her father's arms stirred and leapt from his grasp. After a short stretch he padded over to Ino and sniffed at her legs.

"Mrow," he called, looking up at her with deep green eyes.

She considered him warily. The other cat that followed a member of this family had a habit of stealing things from her. She bent down to stroke his fur, and he began to purr contentedly.

"Is it still there, Ren-san?" her father suddenly asked rather cryptically.

"It is," Ren answered in a similar fashion, "I can get rid of it..."

"Actually," Inoichi said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Maybe she should see it. Perhaps then she won't give so much credence to rumor and hearsay."

"Get rid of what?" Ino asked a bit nervously. Her father had always liked ironic punishments, "See what?"

"Very well..." Ren replied to Inoichi hesitantly, "We should go somewhere that few people will see, though. I would prefer not to cause a panic."

"P-panic?" now she was getting really nervous.

"There is a garden out back with high walls," her father offered amicably, "Come, Ino-chan."

She followed him reluctantly as a bemused Ren brought up the rear of the procession. The black cat kept pace with her as she exited back into the sunshine of the beautiful garden she helped maintain. She couldn't quite appreciate the various aromas wafting off the selection of early autumn flowers since she felt like she was being marched to an execution.

They came to a stop in a rough triangle, and Ren smiled reassuringly at her. As if to strengthen the message of goodwill, her black cat was rubbing his soft flanks against her legs.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Ino finally burst. Her agitation made the question come out clipped and angry.

"You have an oni following you around, Ino-chan," Ren told her simply, "The creature is feeding on your negative emotions... particularly jealousy."

Ino couldn't help it. She began to laugh a bit hysterically. The absurdity of this whole situation was getting to her.

"You can't be serious!" she finally managed to choke out between guffaws, "How did you let this woman con you, Tou-san?"

She didn't catch the specific seals, but she did realize that Ren was performing some sort of jutsu. She missed the name at the end, but the results were immediate and terrifying.

"Why you interfere, Spirit Talker?" a deep throaty voice asked from behind her. She froze in terror at the otherworldly presence she could feel.

"At least it isn't as ugly as the last one..." her father commented idly.

"W-what is b-behind m-me?" Ino stuttered out.

"An oni, dear," Ren offered helpfully, "Just like I said."

Ino worked up her courage and peeked behind her. The first thing she noticed was a trail of a vaporous green substance leaking off of her. The monster she saw through that haze was terrifying to behold.

It was head and shoulders taller than her, maybe seven or eight feet, but its extremely knobbly knuckles dragged the ground. The legs weren't much longer than her own, giving the demon a grotesquely disproportional body. Its mostly bare skin looked like a giant bruise with a purplish hue and sickly yellow splotching. A large crooked nose dominated the other features on the demon's face. Two beady, blood-red eyes stared back down at her from below a mop of lank black hair.

Ino somewhat disliked the girly-girl reputation she had. She was just as willing to get her hands dirty as the next shinobi, and on her team she was the most driven. She also wasn't really afraid of much. Stories from her father and other clan members about the horrors one could encounter in the mindscape had been a companion since she had decided to be a kunoichi. All of this did not stop her from releasing a high-pitched scream and jumping into her father's arms like a frightened child.

"Mmm, fear. Thank, Spirit Talker," the beast rumbled out from between too big lips. She saw the now darker green vapor swirl into its mouth, and she could see rows of sharp teeth.

"I didn't come here to feed you, oni," Ren told it coldly. Ino was suddenly thankful for the woman's presence. Her reputation might have been halfway dubious, but it did say she was an expert on these creatures.

"Name, Kentan," the oni said proudly, slapping a meaty and wickedly clawed hand into its bare chest.

"I could care less, Kentan," Ren shot back, "You will leave this girl be."

"Kentan just hungry," Ino's eyes goggled at the pleading tone. This tiny woman was reducing a large demon to whining like a child.

"There are others in this village you can leach from," Ren explained to it, crossing her arms like an annoyed mother, "This girl and others with auras similar to her's are off limits."

Now the demon pouted. Ino began to giggle uncontrollably at the sight. It was too much to see such a vicious looking monster try to pull off such a childish ploy.

"Fine..." it finally spat in disgust, "Kentan leave girl."

"Good..." Ren said with authority, "I would hate to have to sic Hitoare on you."

She saw it brighten suddenly, "You Spirit Talker that bind Hitoare?" it asked.

"She controls one of these things?" Ino whispered to her father in surprise.

"Shh..." he ordered.

"I am," Ren gave it a measuring look, "You wish to bind yourself to me?"

"Kentan want fight and eat little shadow warrior," the demon began to bounce up and down excitedly, "Missed great fox. Need Spirit Talker to get through veil."

Ren considered the monster carefully, and Ino wondered just what this strange, not-so-fraudulent exorcist was capable of.

"Very well, Kentan," she finally told it. She suddenly had a kunai in hand, and was putting a small nick on her thumb. Ino looked on in fascination as a woman she had thought a fraud bound a creature she had thought a myth to her will.

When all was said and done, Ren waved her hand dismissively at her new warrior, "Begone, Kentan. I will call if I have need of you."

The monster sketched a comical bow and vanished from sight.

Ino stared at the spot it had vanished from, then shifted her disbelieving gaze to Ren. A look of worry flashed over the dark-haired woman's face.

"Are you okay, Ino-chan?" there was genuine concern in her voice.

"Are you kidding!?" Ino exclaimed, disentangling herself from her father's protective embrace, "That was so _awesome!_"

"Eh..." Ren scratched the side of her face, "What?"

"You were all like, 'You can't feed off this girl,'" she mimicked Ren's soft but authoritative voice as best she could, "and it just fell apart. You are _so _cool!"

"Eheh..." Ren seemed to not know how to handle the sudden hero worship, "To be fair, my clan is somewhat infamous in the Spirit Realm. Smaller demons flee from me on sight just because of the reputation."

Ino was about to gush more to this strange and amazing woman, but her father stopped her by resting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure Ren-san has other things to get to today," he dropped the polite hint for his daughter to stop bothering her, "What do I owe you for the service?"

Ren stopped to consider the question, "Hmm... I usually charge 50,000 ryo for a business location and 10,000 for a residence... This is only my second personal exorcism, and to be fair the demon was no real danger to the subject."

She considered the problem silently for a few more moments, then nodded to herself, "Let's call it even for attracting an oni for me to bind. They don't crop up in Konoha as much as you think."

Inoichi frowned at the mention of binding the creature, "Are you sure it's wise to try controlling such a being?"

Ren just smiled at him, "Tou-san once told me long ago that demons were the least dangerous kind of spirit to interact with. They are infinitely predictable because they're always driven by one or two desires."

She gave a quick and shallow bow as a farewell and turned to leave with Zuki hot on her heels.

"What are the most dangerous?" Ino called after her, unable to contain her curiosity.

"We are, Ino-chan," Ren shouted back from inside the flower shop, "We are."

XxXxXxX

Hotaka took in the whole structure with intense curiosity. That it was a prison had been fairly obvious, but the reason why his test would take place here was lost on him. Whatever the test was, he hoped it would be practical in nature. He was terrible with any theory that didn't involve human anatomy.

The unusual ninja with the hidden eyes was a tad disconcerting to him. One way he read his opponents was to watch their eyes. A foe might feint with his body, but his eyes would invariably be looking towards the intended opening.

He began to stretch almost automatically. It was something of a nervous habit, especially when he didn't know what his challenge would be. Never hurt to be ready for something physically demanding anyway. Perhaps he would have to...

"HOTAKA!"

He started in surprise and looked up at his Sensei. He had been zoning again, "Yes, Sensei?"

"Do you always do that?" Hiroto asked in exasperation.

"Yea, sorry," he ran a hand through his hair nervously, "I don't mean to, but I zone out sometimes."

"That's not exactly something you want to do in the field," the jonin warned seriously, "That could get you killed very easily."

Hotaka nodded his understanding and focused himself on what the man was talking about.

"As I was saying," Hiroto went on in an annoyed tone, "This prison plays host to a number of non-shinobi criminals guilty of some particularly heinous crimes."

Hotaka nodded his understanding and to signal he was listening this time.

"Your test is to perform an execution," Hiroto said gravely.

Hotaka blinked a couple of times, "What?"

"You will perform an execution," Hiroto repeated.

"You want me to kill someone?" the genin asked incredulously.

Hiroto nodded in confirmation.

"Why?" it was an effort, but Hotaka managed to keep his voice level. He hadn't been through seven years of grueling training to lose his self-discipline now.

Hiroto seemed slightly taken aback by his calm, "How long before you must kill for a mission, Hotaka-kun?"

He considered that question very carefully. It hadn't really occurred to him until his Sensei had just posed it. Judging by the stories from Anko, Natsumi, and his own mother, it wouldn't take very long before he was taking on C-rank missions for the village. They often had some element of danger to them, and eventually they would be in a life-threatening situation.

"Will you do it?" Hiroto asked him.

Hotaka squared his shoulders. There were plenty of other career options out there. He didn't doubt his Sensei would call for his dismissal if he couldn't perform this one task. As far as Hotaka was concerned, however, there was no other job he wanted. Being a shinobi like his father and mother was his dream. So what if it was darker than he had first thought back at the age of five?

"Yes, Sensei," Hotaka's gray-blue eyes met Hiroto's hazel, "I'll do it."

XxXxXxX

Mayu sighed as she came to the apex of the steep staircase that led to the top of the Hokage Monument. While she had a habit of offering up a scathing remark or two to anyone who tried to treat her differently due to her condition, she would have appreciated Gai actually changing the location of his training on the day he invited her to observe. The climb was negotiable for her, but still difficult to perform with two legs frozen in place.

She made her way across the bare portion near the carved faces towards the woods that marked Training Area Twenty-three. She could hear the tale-tell sounds of physical combat that was Team Gai's specialty. Making her way through the trees, she could see flashes of green, black, brown, and white as Gai's two male students went at each other.

Lee was doing a marvelous job of dodging Neji's chakra charged hands, but she could see it was an uphill battle for him. He rarely got the chance to go on the offensive, and even when he tried, he would pull up short as Neji was prepared to punish him for the attack. Finally Neji managed to land a solid touch on Lee's shoulder, causing the appendage to fall limp.

Lee backed up and held his good hand up, "This spar is yours, my Most Youthful Rival."

Neji's only answer was a snort of disgust as he dropped his stance and walked towards his gear to drink some water from a canteen. Lee went to their Sensei, who was to the side of the small clearing with Tenten, to have his arm inspected but pulled up short when he saw his old taijutsu tutor come into the clearing.

"Mayu-Sensei!" he cried out in joy, "It is wonderful to see you on this Glorious Day!"

"I see you made an impression on him," Mayu remarked to Gai dryly as she approached.

"It's worse than you think," Tenten lamented to her one time teacher, "They have their own intro."

"We sure do!" Lee said excitedly, trying to take the traditional Nice Guy pose. His arm flopped about uselessly instead of giving her a thumbs up, though.

"Be still, My Wonderful Student," Gai ordered his mini-clone as he went to work on the teen's arm.

"What brings you, Sensei?" Tenten asked while the Green Beast and his cub were occupied.

"Gai-san invited me out to see how you three were doing," she explained with a smile, "Its good to see my past students still growing after I'm done with them."

A quiet scoff came from Neji's direction and Mayu saw Tenten's face go red.

"You got something to say?" she snapped at the Hyuga.

"I just fail to see why Lee is even here," Neji replied in a neutral voice, "His inability to utilize chakra is a liability."

"You weren't saying that when you got surrounded by those bandits on our last mission," Tenten shot back darkly, "As I recall, it was Lee-kun who pulled your ungrateful ass out of the fire you got yourself into."

Neji's face tightened in anger, but before he could reply, Gai interjected.

"Come now, My Cute Little Students," he said loudly, "What is done is done. There is no need to place blame."

Neji seemed to cool off a bit, albeit with some effort.

"Come by my place sometime, Lee-kun," Mayu offered, "I know a couple of tricks that can get you inside a Hyuga's guard."

"That would be Most Appreciated!" Lee cried in gratitude.

"What do you know about Jyuken?" She was sure Neji was just curious, but his naturally dour demeanor made the question come out in a slightly mocking tone.

"I recall correcting your stance in your second year at the academy," she replied mildly.

"And where did you learn these tricks?" he asked with a bit more heat.

"From Hizashi-Sensei," she replied with a hint of melancholy.

Perhaps it was her sad tone or the fact that she claimed to know Hizashi, but something set Neji off.

"What would a cripple like you know of Tou-san?" he asked in a dangerous whisper.

"Neji!" Tenten cried out in surprise.

"Shut up, Tenten," he ground out just as quietly.

"Don't you tell me to shut up, youprick," she narrowed her eyes dangerously at him, "I'll fill you so full of metal compasses will go haywire around your corpse."

The two genin squared off, and the look on Gai's and Lee's faces, somewhere between exasperation and annoyance, showed that this was not an unusual occurrence. Mayu hobbled her way in between the angry teens.

"You two calm down now," she ordered in a chipper tone, "There's no need to get so worked up on my account, Ten-chan."

"As for you," she turned to face Neji directly, "I think you need a personal lesson."

"Ah, Mayu-san," Gai interjected nervously and dropping his odd speech patterns, "Perhaps that is not such a good idea..."

"Yes, _Sensei_," Neji put quite a bit of sarcastic emphasis on the title, "You might get hurt."

"Actually, Neji-kun," Gai said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, "I'm more worried about you getting hurt."

Neji scoffed at the notion, "Please. She can't even move around without those crutches."

A sharp laugh was heard from Mayu as she manhandled her legs into a wide fighting stance, "I don't need to hop about to whip a little fool like you."

A look of calm fury worked its way over Neji's face, "If you're so determined to be shown up by a genin, so be it."

He fell into the loose stance of Jyuken a few paces away from her. He noted that she had discarded her crutches off to the side. Her hands were held out in front of her with open palms facing him. He wondered what strange condition she had that her paralyzed legs could support her weight like they were.

"I'll give you one last chance to back down and apologize," Mayu offered amicably, "No need for you to get hurt."

"Pfah," Neji scoffed, "You're just a cripple who refuses to face her condition. It is no use to rail against fate."

"Oh for Kami's sake," Tenten's face dropped into her hands, "Not this again."

"That's cute," Mayu said lightly, "The little boy thinks himself wise."

That was the taunt that started the exchange. Neji rushed in quickly and landed a soft touch on Mayu's shoulder. An odd sensation traveled back up his arm, and to his great surprise the limb did not go limp. Instead her hand grabbed his lower arm. Her other hand snaked between them and gripped his side. She used the leverage to twist his arm viciously. With a sickening pop and a great deal of pain, he felt his shoulder come out of its socket.

He leaped back and knelt down clutching his limp arm. He had to force down the bile that was coming up his throat.

"How did you do that?" he gritted out from between clenched teeth. He forced his shoulder back in place and nearly swooned from the pain.

"Well... with enough torsion and pressure, you can pop someones shoulder quite easily..."

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!" he yelled back in fury.

"Oh..." Mayu placed a finger to her chin in thought, then brightened as if coming to a realization, "You mean countering your Jyuken strike? Let's just say Eiji's style requires the ability to expel chakra from any point on your body. Turns out if you time it right, you can block foreign chakra from entering your tenketsu."

He growled in annoyance. She had caught him by surprise with that counter, but he wasn't going to let himself be fooled twice. He tested his injured arm's range of movement and found it satisfactory.

"You get points for determination," Mayu offered jovially as he assumed his stance again, "but you stand no chance against me, Neji-kun."

His only answer was to come at her again. He feinted high, then used his other hand to strike for her core. In a normal spar he wouldn't have dared such a deadly strike, but it was clear to him he had somewhat underestimated the crippled taijutsu expert. It wouldn't save her, though. He would win here and show her that she couldn't overcome her condition.

His feint managed to tie up one of her hands as she again chose to grab his arm, but his actual strike was stopped in a similar fashion. She held both his arms out wide, and he suddenly got an excellent look at her forehead as she dragged him into a powerful headbutt. He saw stars and attempted to stagger away, but she wasn't done with him. She struck him twice more with her hard-as-rock skull, breaking his nose and causing one eye to swell up. Finally she released him to fall to the ground were he blacked out.

"Was that necessary, Mayu-san?" Gai asked her seriously.

She dusted herself off, "He needs to learn respect for his peers and elders."

She picked up her crutches and worked her legs back into a more normal position with a grimace.

"Does that hurt?" Tenten asked with worry clear on her face.

"All the time," Mayu whispered quietly. She then smiled and pointed a crutch at the unconscious Hyuga, "Better get him to the hospital. Pretty sure I tore a few tendons and maybe even a ligament in his shoulder."

"He deserves it," Tenten crossed her arms in a huff, "This bastard has done nothing but been a problem since we graduated."

"Now, now, my Adorable Disciple," Gai had gone back to himself finally, "Neji-kun has been through Difficult Hardships we can only imagine."

"That doesn't give him the right to be an ass all the time," she argued back. She did go over to Neji and sling one of his arms over her shoulder, though, "Help me out Lee-kun."

It wasn't long before the two genin had their teammate, his head lolling about, between them, and they were off to the hospital.

Mayu looked over to Gai, "You asked me out here to do just that, didn't you?" she accused.

A lopsided smirked worked its way onto Gai's face, "I would never do anything to harm my Precious Students."

He frowned shortly after, "But sometimes to save them, we must hurt them a little."

Mayu nodded her understanding, "C'mon. You owe me a drink for this."

XxXxXxX

The pit that was used as a yard for the prisoners was a whole lot more imposing from the bottom, Hotaka decided. His target looked about as imposing, too. He was a full adult and large of build. The man, Hotaka hadn't caught his name, had discarded his beige button down shirt and wore only his pants and sandals. One thing that Hotaka found odd was his complete lack of hair. Not a single strand anywhere on his dusky skin; not even his neanderthal-like brows sported any fuzz.

There was a seriously disturbing look in the man's red eyes, and Hotaka figured the lack of chains to hold him down meant this wasn't just a test of mental fortitude.

"Are you ready to burn?" the prisoner asked in a hoarse whisper. It sounded as if he had been smoking all of his life or damaged his respiratory system in some other way.

"What?" Hotaka asked him, curious as to what he meant.

"I said," the voice was louder now, but just as hoarse, "Are your ready to...BURN!?"

Like it was a trigger, on the last word the man's arms were suddenly surrounded by bright orange flames. Despite the waves of heat rising from the fires, Hotaka could see that the man was not being consumed.

"Sensei..." he called up to his mentor nervously, "He's on fire, Sensei."

"I see that," Hiroto said down to him, "Maybe if you had been paying attention earlier you would have caught my hints about chakra savants."

Before Hotaka could come up with a reply, his target charged in recklessly. The genin was suddenly very busy dodging flaming punches.

"Burn, burn, burnburnburn... BURN!" Every punch was accompanied by the word, and the lunatic was getting more crazed with every failed strike. The last blow came in the form of a double hammer fist coming straight for Hotaka's face. The nimble teen dodged it by simply rolling through his target's legs.

He used a bit of chakra in his legs to leap far away from the fire obsessed fool. He needed some space to figure out how to fight this guy. _Koodorikaze_ was generally a defensive style in the early stages of learning; you waited for someone to attack, then punished them for it. That was made difficult by the fact that his foe had flames covering his arms up to the elbows. Just parrying his strikes would leave Hotaka with terrible burns.

In came the pyro again, recklessly striking out with his flaming arms. Hotaka could have doled out serious pain to the fool on more than one occasion, but the heat coming from those hands forced him to hold back.

"Burn you little shit!" the lunatic cried, "BURN!"

"That word is getting really old," Hotaka muttered. He could tell he was being herded into a corner, so he leapt high and far back. He did a back flip to orient himself properly and as soon as his feet touched the stone wall, he used his chakra to launch himself to the other side of the pit. This wasn't working.

The flaming arms ruled out using _Bifuu, _the first dance of his style. It made use of too many throws. _Kyoufuu _was out too, since it called for blocking and parrying. No... he would need to make use of the third dance, _Boufuu. _The problem there was he had far from mastered it, since more than a few of its attack patterns required he be able to step on the air. He could perform all of its grounded maneuvers, though.

That settled it, then. He hadn't even gotten a chance to try out _Boufuu _in a spar, and he was about to use it in real combat. He set his feet shoulder width apart and raised his fists to guard his face and waited for the pyro to come at him again.

"Finally ready to stand and burn?" the maniac asked.

"Won't be burning today," Hotaka countered.

The prisoner came back in just as recklessly as before. It was obvious his flames made him feel invincible, but Hotaka was about to shatter that silly little dream.

In he came with a powerful jab that was well beyond over-extension. Hotaka pivoted around his rear foot and dropped low. He could feel the heat of the flames passing overhead, but his maneuver worked as his now extended leg caught his foe in the shins. As soon as he felt contact, Hotaka forced his leg back and up, tripping the fiery idiot.

He wasted no time rising and lining up a strike for the base of his target's skull. Just as his blow was about to connect, fire burst forth from the spot and pulled away with a yelp of pain and surprise. He hopped away as the maniac rose, laughing.

"Did you really think I couldn't ignite other parts of my body?" he asked in that disturbingly scratchy voice of his.

"One can hope," Hotaka answered sarcastically. He stole a glance at his hand and found it to be bright red. It was his right hand, too. He was partially ambidextrous, but his right hand had more striking power.

He sighed dejectedly. He had hoped to end the man's life with a quick blow, but it seemed he would need to get... creative. He spent the next minute dodging out of the way of reckless charges as he put a plan together.

"STOP DANCING AROUND AND JUST BURN ALREADY!" the fires on the prisoner's arms flared brightly with his anger.

Hotaka, finally sure he had a decent plan, resumed his stance. As soon as his enemy was close, he again dodged between his legs. While he was in the man's blind spot, he reached into his equipment pouch and palmed a small flask in each hand and sent silent thanks to his large friend for equipping him with trapping supplies. His right hand hurt something fierce, but he could still use it. His only lament was how much more burnt it was about to get.

"BURN DAMNIT!"

He managed to reset himself just as the pyro came barreling in. He ducked under the attempted bear hug, and slammed his right hand up into the man's chest flask first while pivoting on his rear foot. The maneuver brought him out of line with his enemy, and the reckless idiot went past. Hotaka slapped the other flask onto his back. The force of the blows caused the glass to break and cut into both of them.

Just as he expected, the lunatic reacted to the pain of being struck with a burst of chakra fire. His hands were suddenly a pair of white hot points of pain, but the heat ignited the highly flammable oil from the now broken flasks. Hotaka quickly dove to the ground and, despite the pain, began coating his burning hands with loose dirt. The dirt absorbed the unburnt oil and helped smother the flames trying eat away his flesh.

His foe didn't have the same presence of mind, though. His own chakra powered fire had been his undoing as Hotaka's oil caught from the heat. Immune to his own unnatural flames, the pyromaniac didn't have the know-how to control fire he hadn't produced. It wasn't long before he was a human torch, running about the pit screaming before the fire reached into his lungs and silenced him for good.

Hotaka sat in a daze staring at the heap of immolated flesh that had once been a man. His hands throbbed from their burns, but they couldn't quite distract him from the thought that he had just burned a man alive.

Suddenly his view was obstructed by his Sensei, whose hands were glowing green as he began to slowly heal Hotaka's own. Nothing could cover up the terrible stink of the burned husk, though.

"I did it," Hotaka said dully, "I killed him, Sensei."

"Yes," Hiroto agreed neutrally as he continued to work, "You did."

"I passed?" he asked in the same dull voice.

"Yes, you pass," the jonin replied. His hands were no longer glowing, and he was applying a salve that carried a wonderfully cool sensation to Hotaka's tortured hands. He finished by wrapping them in bandages.

Hotaka finally worked up the courage to meet his Sensei's eye. He found not the judgment he expected but only understanding, "Is it always this hard?"

Hiroto frowned at the question, "It gets easier as time goes on."

"I killed him in such an awful way, though," he began to shudder uncontrollably.

"No worse than how he killed his own victims," the jonin replied, "Let's get you to the hospital for those hands. There's someone there you should meet anyway."

XxXxXxX

"Maaaan," Naruto whined shrilly, "Why'd he have to tie me to this stump?"

"Cause you tried to cheat and get at the food," Sakura chided him as she opened the bento provided by their batty Sensei. She sniffed it cautiously, unsure if the cyclops would drug the meal.

"Pfft," the blonde scoffed, "Ninja cheat all the time."

"True," Sasuke agreed in a neutral tone, as he opened his own lunch, "But you got caught. That's not something shinobi do."

Naruto began to grumble about stupid Uchiha and their stupid logic when a bento was place in front of his face.

"Here," it was Sasuke of all people, "I don't want you dragging us down later. We only get one more chance."

Naruto brightened at the prospect of food, but Sakura interjected before he could bury his face in the meal like a pig.

"Kakashi-Sensei said we would automatically fail if we fed him, though," she warned.

Sasuke shrugged, "I don't sense him nearby. Like Naruto said, 'Ninja cheat.'"

Sakura bit her lip and worried it a bit as she considered the risk she might be taking. Perhaps it was worth it. Naruto was spastic and unorthodox, but his clones had been _real. _With some tactics, he could be a one man army. He would need to eat, though. She sighed and picked up a rice ball with her chopsticks and moved to feed it to her teammate, much to his delight.

A sudden presence stopped her dead.

"YOU THREE..." the dreadful tone and level of anger in her Sensei's voice was enough to raise the hairs on the back of her neck. Sasuke was frozen in place where he sat, and Naruto was trying to push himself into the post he was tied to.

"Pass!" the intimidating demeanor dropped away just as quickly as their Sensei had appeared.

The sudden change thoroughly confused the genin as they stared stupidly at the man.

"W-wha..." was all Sakura managed to get out.

"You... pass," Kakashi repeated slowly.

"But we broke the rules," Sakura protested, "We defied your orders."

"But you did so to help a comrade," he countered with a veiled smile, "Those that break the rules are trash, true, but those that abandon their comrades are lower than trash."

"Teamwork," Naruto said as he began to bang his head against the post, "It was always about teamwork. Stupid... stupid."

"Genin teams are almost always cells of three with a single jonin as a commander," Sasuke added, "I let you make me second-guess that, though."

"So we really pass?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

"Sure do," Kakashi confirmed, "You are dismissed until tomorrow at seven hundred hours."

With that the jonin disappeared leaving the genin in stunned silence. Naruto recovered first.

"Wanna get some ramen to celebrate, Sakura-chan?" he asked with a big smile.

"NO, YOU ASS!" she yelled, socking him once in the face and storming off.

"Naruto," Sasuke looked at the swelling bruise on the blonde's cheek, "Do you know what the definition of insanity is?"

"Shut-up and untie me," the other boy replied sourly.

XxXxXxX

Hotaka marveled at his hands. The new skin was still a bit too pink, but otherwise it was as if they had never been burned. His gi was in a sorry state, though. The sleeves were a burnt mess, but he was alive and unhurt.

He was following his Sensei through the halls of the hospital. He had been treated for his relatively minor injuries in the emergency room, but were now in the burn ward. Most of the rooms were empty, but he could hear the life sustaining machines the medics used beeping and whirring a steady rhythm from a nearby room.

They came up to it as an older nurse was exiting. Her hair, pulled into a tight bun, was going gray, and she looked Hiroto over with suspicious green eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked in clipped tones.

"Aito's execution has been carried out," Hiroto told her in a serious voice, "I thought she would like to hear."

The nurses eyes softened a bit, "I'm sure she would like to know that monster is gone. Go on in."

So that was his name... Aito. It heaped a bit more guilt onto Hotaka, knowing his victim had a name. It was silly, he knew. Of course he had a name. Hotaka would have been happier not knowing it, though.

Hiroto held the door for him, and he entered the hospital room cautiously. In the bed, surrounded by numerous machines was a person. They had called it a 'she', but it was difficult to tell since she was covered in terrible burns with a thick salve and loose bandages. One of her eyes was sealed shut, and the other was covered.

"Who's there?" she wheezed pitifully.

"Fuchi-san," Hiroto greeted in a businesslike manner, "I am Ryoukou Hiroto, Jonin of Konoha, and this is Shoudou Hotaka, Genin."

"What do you want?" her voice was hard to differentiate from the respirator, but they managed to make out her words.

"I came to inform you that, Sasuga Aito is dead," he told her.

A tenseness seamed to drain away from the burned woman, "Thank Kami. How did..."

"The execution was performed about an hour ago," he explained, "He was burned to death."

"Serves the bastard right," she sobbed out, "My husband... my children..."

"What did he do?" Hotaka was aghast at the sight of this poor woman.

"Sasuga Aito was an arsonist for a while," Hiroto told him, "We captured him shortly after burning down the Fuchi residence."

"Until Fuchi Hazuki here regained consciousness it was unsure whether he intended to kill the family or just burn their home," he went on, "Her testimony upgraded his crime from manslaughter to murder in the first degree."

"He walked into my house and beat my husband half to death," Hazuki whispered in a hoarse and tortured voice, "He locked us in a bedroom and lit the house on fire."

"We're sorry for your loss, Fuchi-san," Hiroto offered her sincerely, "We've more business to attend to, today."

"Of course," she agreed, "Please pass my thanks to whoever gave him the death he deserved."

The jonin's eyes met Hotaka's, "I'll make sure he knows."

* * *

Two down, one to go. I'm finally getting to a point where I can involve the other genin as well. As characters go, I always felt Tenten got no love in canon. That just means I get to treat her almost like a character of my own, and oh the ideas that swirl through the twisted passages of my mind.

I'm starting to get reviews at least as often as I post, and that makes me happy. Especially since they are almost all solid critiques of my work. I have Zerojackson giving me his thoughts chapter by chapter as he reads, which is giving me some good insight. Then there is Freedsama, who is trying to unravel my plots before I am ready to reveal them. He gave me then impression that I might be hinting and foreshadowing a bit too strongly, but after rereading a few things, I decided I am happy with what's going on.

This story remains a great source of entertainment for me, and I hope you all are enjoying as much as I am.

Shoudou Hotaka  
Rank: Genin  
Gender: Male  
Birth Date: June 30  
Hair: Brown  
Eyes: Gray-blue  
Height: 5' 4" (162.5 cm)  
Weight: 110 (50 kg)  
Shoudou Hotaka is the only son of Eiji and Mayu. Both of his parents sacrificed much against the Kyuubi; his father gave his life, and his mother the use of her legs. Hotaka is determined to follow in their footsteps and get his father's unique style of taijutsu officially recognized.

_Koodorikaze_ (Dancing Wind)  
Type: Taijutsu (Style)  
Rank: Varies  
Effect: This style of taijutsu was developed as an alternative to Goken. Mastering Koodorikaze requires speed, flexibility, and fine chakra control. The style is split into five 'dances' that ramp up in offensiveness. Mastery of the last three dances requires a special chakra manipulation technique that allows the user to step on air. A master of the style could theoretically beat their opponent without ever touching the ground.


	15. A Brush with Death

Hiroto watched from his perch on a nearby building as Osamu arrived at the gate to wait for him. A feeling of sadness and guilt washed over him as it did any time he looked in on either of the Sakibou. As he had done with his other two he students, he observed the waiting genin for a good fifteen minutes before approaching them. It was a good way to see how they dealt with stress.

Masaru had been openly nervous and fidgety; constantly checking over his equipment and his seals. While it wasn't ideal that he would allow his emotions to show so easily, it was good that he managed to channel the nervous energy into a productive activity.

Hotaka had simply tried to work out the pent up energy by exerting himself. Hiroto worried his combat specialist was heading for early burnout, but he could enforce a strict training schedule on him to prevent that.

Osamu, unlike his taller friends, seemed to have no overt signs of nervousness. That didn't surprise him at all. Training under Kurenai for genjutsu and learning espionage techniques from his sister would make him a natural at blanking. It wasn't an easy feet to do at that age, but it looked as if the small boy had the personality for it.

He sat waiting patiently on a bench near the gate, watching as people went about their business. The large golden feline in his lap was a far cry from the tiny kitten Hiroto remembered. She actually looked larger than her sable counterpart, Mikazuki.

When he was satisfied he would glean no more information from passively watching Osamu analyze passers-by and idly stroking an unusually calm Yancha in his lap, he leapt from the building and approached the genin.

"Afternoon, Sensei," he greeted cordially, surprising Hiroto; he had been coming quietly from behind, "I suppose it would be pointless to ask how Hotaka and Masaru have done."

"It would," Hiroto confirmed with a frown. He was sure he had been as silent as he could be. Did the Sakibou share more traits with their familiars than just the eyes?

"Mind if I ask how you knew I was coming?" he finally decided to ask.

Osamu half turned and fixed a single amber eye, slitted in the afternoon sun, on him, "Nee-san told me I can reveal my abilities to my team, but I'm not officially on one yet, am I?"

Hiroto couldn't help but smirk in amusement, "Clever little bastard."

"I take it since we are meeting at the gate, the test is outside the village?" despite his cool outward demeanor, Hiroto could sense a tad bit of excitement and apprehension in the teen.

"Yes," Hiroto confirmed. He couldn't quite figure out why it seemed Osamu wasn't looking _at _him, bur rather, _through _him, "I know you are unable to perform boosting... can you tree hop?"

Osamu smiled in response, "My condition isn't as detrimental as you think, Sensei."

If he had even half the determination of Gai's little clone, that might hold true, "Follow me, then. Be sure to let me know if you start to fall behind."

XxXxXxX

It hadn't taken long for Natsumi to recognize that her son was the type that needed to be alone to work through his problems. It shouldn't have surprised her, considering the way he would shoo her off indignantly when she mockingly offered to help him with a particularly tough chemistry or physics problem.

So she had decided to make her weekly rounds a day early. Like clockwork, every week, she would go around to the various outlets and vendors that carried her popular wares. She would spot check the production quality of her goods right off the shelf. A faulty spring or a rusty gear could spell the doom of a whole team of shinobi.

As always, she never found a single fault. Her manufactory had some of the best and most loyal people working for it. They took her designs and figured out how to package them for mass production, and never seemed to let a faulty part through.

She entered one of her last stops for her walkabout to find the store owner in a heated argument with someone she generally avoided.

"What the hell!?" the orange clad blonde cried out, "I just need to restock cause I start missions tomorrow. Why are you being such a stubborn old goat?"

The proprietor did kind of look like a goat, now that she thought about it. His face was long, and he kept a pointed goatee on his chin while letting his short black hair hang loose and messy about his head.

"I have the right to refuse service to anybody," the indignant man behind the counter huffed, "Not get out of my store before I call for ANBU."

Natsumi grimaced inwardly. Here was a fresh shinobi trying to do the right thing by being ready for anything, and one of Konoha's citizens was flat out refusing to help him. Her evasion of Naruto was more for the bad memories he conjured than any unnaturally large monster that resided in his belly. She knew way too much about sealing to believe he was the fox. She could have just turned around and left, but something, perhaps old friendships, kept her there.

"Oi, Soji-san," she greeted as she hobbled up.

"Oh, Natsumi-san," he seemed honestly surprised by her appearance, "You're a day early this week."

She waved her hand dismissively, "Meh, got stir crazy. What's going on here?" she glance speculatively down at Naruto.

"I was just trying to get this trouble maker out of my shop?" he answered back icily.

"Oh?" Natsumi goaded him on innocently.

"Yes. He came barging in here demanding I sell him weapons," Natsumi couldn't believe how silly the civilians could get when it came to the jinchuuriki. Did they not understand he was protecting them by his very existence.

"Naruto-kun," she turned to him suddenly, and he jumped slightly in surprise at hearing his name, "That leaf plate... You got it a few days ago, right?"

"Yea..." he answered cautiously.

"Probably stole it," she heard Soji mutter under his breath.

"Pass Kakashi's infamous bell test?" she continued to grill him, ignoring the merchant.

"We did," he confirmed, giving her an untrusting look.

"Soji-san," she turned back to the shop keeper, "Under Article 214 of Konoha's peace time laws, you cannot refuse service to a full fledged shinobi of our village without good cause. You don't seem to have one."

His eyes narrowed, "Ah yes. The 'Cloud Act' the Hokage pushed through so we couldn't throw out that damn..."

"Be very careful what you say next, Soji-san," her eyes narrowed dangerously and voice pitched low, "Hiroto-san is my son's Sensei, a jonin of the Leaf, and this boy's guardian."

The man paled a bit at her tone, but she swore she could pick up a faint whiff of urine after what she said next.

"I hear jinchuuriki's seals can slip a little when they get angry."

She saw Naruto gaping at her out of the corner of her eye.

"I ah... uh," Soji was at a loss for words.

"Have all of my products prepared for pick up by closing time, Soji-san," she let the air of menace drop suddenly, "I don't think I will be using your store as an outlet anymore."

At the sudden prospect of losing his best selling products, the businessman snapped out of his fear induced stupor, "You can't do that!"

Natsumi raised her cane and poked the end of it into his chest, "Oh I can, and I will. Any vendor that refuses service to a shinobi of Konoha isn't one I wish to associate my business with."

"The merchant's guild will hear about this!" he nearly yelled as his face turned a bright shade of red.

"Good," she countered with deathly calm, "Then I won't need to inform them so they can shut your shop down."

He began to stutter uncontrollably, but Natsumi ignored him and began to leave. On a whim she called out, "Naruto-kun, If you are in need of a good merchant for your supplies, I can introduce you to one."

"R-really!?" the disbelief in his voice was disheartening for her. Was he really so shunned?

"Hurry up, brat," she ordered gruffly, waving him through the door, "I ain't got all day."

XxXxXxX

Mayu pushed open her front door with a crutch and hobbled in. It had been good to catch up with Gai and hear all about his genin. Despite his worries over Neji's attitude, the Green Beast admitted they might be ready for chunin soon. It was things like that that really kept her going. Knowing that her students were rising stars did her heart good.

There was her own child as well. His amazing progress with Eiji's style was testament to a latent talent that he had only just begun to develop. Mayu didn't doubt that he would have gone farther faster with a fully able-bodied teacher.

Thinking of her boy and still feeling slightly tipsy from the few stiff drinks she'd had with Gai, she went in search of the dedicated child. He had told her that his test couldn't take more than a few hours based on his sensei's scheduling, and so she figured he would be home already.

As she made her way through the house, she began to think that perhaps he wasn't around. It was rare for the sun to be in the sky and Hotaka to not be training. It was all she could do to keep him from burning out. Despite that, she found him out back amongst the training equipment.

He was sitting on the grass up against one of the various posts, his eyes fixed on his hands. The warm feeling from her drinks fell away as she took in the burned sleeves of his gi and the fresh pink skin indicative of recent healing via chakra.

"Hota-kun," she ventured gently, not wanting to startle him.

"Hey, Kaa-san," his voice was unusually subdued. Not the regular zoned out tone he got when his mind wandered either. It was... sad.

"You pass your Sensei's test?" she dared to ask. Judging by his demeanor, she figured the answer was no. She was fully prepared for a good pep talk. After all... she hadn't made it on her first team.

"Yea," he gave a halfhearted smirk, "Sensei says I got a lot of potential. Masaru, too."

"Why the glum face, then?" she was thoroughly confused. When she had passed her second genin test, she had been ecstatic.

"Kaa-san, how many people have you killed?" he asked instead of answering her question.

It took her a minute to recover from the dark question. She lowered herself slowly to the ground next to him, her frozen legs out before her.

"Don't know, really," she finally answered, "I don't keep count like some. Would say it's over at least a hundred, though. Why do you ask?"

"Were they bad people?" he continued his line of difficult questions.

"I like to think the majority of them were," she returned in a subdued tone, "It helped me get through early on. Truth is, though, no one is all bad. Killing someone just prevents them from ever coming round."

He seemed to deflate a bit at that, "What if you knew they did something so awful that you can't help but feel that their death is necessary... even right?"

"Hotaka," she reached over and lifted his face by the chin to look directly into his eyes, "Why are you asking me all this? Does this have to do with your test today?"

He nodded, "We went to the prison Kaa-san," she did not like where this was headed.

"What happened there?" she strained to keep her voice level.

"I performed an execution," he admitted, casting his eyes down.

She saw red. Fifteen separate ways to end the life of Ryoukou Hiroto flitted through her mind; each worse than the last. She tried to return to an upright position, but found herself held down by a hand on the shoulder.

"Please don't, Kaa-san," her son's plaintive request brought her out of a maternal rage.

"He had you _kill _someone?" she ground out quietly. Judging by the look of fear in his eyes, she was leaking a fair amount of killing intent. She reigned it in with some effort.

He nodded timidly, "Sasuga Aito."

Her anger was quickly replaced by surprise, "The chakra savant that burned the family of five?"

"Yea..."

"Oh, Hotaka," she gathered him into her burly arms, "You should never feel guilty about the death of such a terrible person. Some people just don't deserve a second chance."

Her son began to shake, and she could feel the warm wetness of his tears on her bare arm, "That's the thing, Kaa-san. I don't feel guilty. When I found out what he did, I was happy I killed him. I... I think I'm broken."

She hugged him tighter, "Don't think like that, son. You aren't broken. You just don't feel remorse because of what he did."

"I'm afraid it will be like that every time," he sobbed out, "What if I start to like it? What if... what if I can't stop?"

She had no answer for that. Some shinobi did in fact begin to enjoy their bloody profession a bit too much. Judging by the way he was so worried about it, though, he probably wouldn't end up like that.

It was then, as she held her son, that she realized the true purpose of Hiroto's test. It wasn't just about the willingness to do one of their darkest jobs. It was about successfully dealing with the aftermath.

As much as she wanted to hurt the man at that moment, Mayu couldn't help but think that Ryoukou Hiroto was probably going to be the best damn Sensei of his generation.

XxXxXxX

Something about Osamu didn't jive right. Their current mode of movement, leaping and swinging through the forest, was perfectly possible without boosting, but the speed at which they were moving wasn't.

Anything with more chakra than was necessary for life could perform chakra assisted body enhancement, more commonly known as boosting, with relative ease. The act was almost instinctual for those who knew how to manipulate their internal energy. Even Lee, whose stunted tenketsu prevented him from releasing his chakra, could internalize the energy to enhance his speed, strength, or durability.

Osamu, however, shouldn't have been able to boost with his chakra. His files indicated that he was indeed incapable of the technique. Here he was, though, keeping pace with Hiroto, who had begun boosting a few minutes ago to see how fast his student could move with the handicap.

He began to up the ante to see where the limit was, or if it truly existed to begin with. Finally he began to pull ahead.

"Sensei," Osamu called out from behind him, "Can't move that fast."

Hiroto slowed back down, but kept his questions to himself. There was definitely something fishy here, but he doubted Osamu would provide any answers if confronted. Hiroto silently lamented the fact that he was so insensitive to chakra; otherwise, he would have simply sought out the chakra fluctuations that came with boosting.

It wasn't long after that they arrived at the prison. For the third time that day, Tonbo admitted Hiroto with one of his students. This was the kicker. If Osamu chose not to follow through, the team would be one short. It would also be a heavy blow to the Hokage's plans, but Hiroto would be adamant that he be dismissed from service.

He once again he went through the semi-choreographed conversation about chakra savants, but only made it a few sentences in before Osamu broke completely from the subject.

"I'm here to fight someone," he stated calmly, "maybe even kill a prisoner."

Hiroto was taken aback not so much by the sudden conclusion, but by how calmly he stated it. Before he could reply, Tonbo returned from his preparations.

"Osamu-kun," the blind man kept his tone neutral, "Before your hypothesis is confirmed or denied, can I ask how you came to such a conclusion?"

The genin frowned in thought, "It wasn't any one thing that tipped me off. More of a series of indicators that added up."

"Indulge me, please," Hiroto was interested as well, so he kept quiet.

"The first indicator was the prison itself," Osamu began in a lecturing tone he most likely copied from Iruka or Kurenai, "Just bringing a fresh genin here would be unusual."

"Not nearly enough for you to draw such a dire conclusion, though," Tonbo prompted.

"No," Osamu agreed, "The second red flag was your reaction to our arrival, Tonbo-san. You seemed sad, no... resigned. You do not like your role in this, but fulfill it either for friendship or village loyalties. I am guessing the latter."

"You got all that from seeing me for a few moments?" Tonbo couldn't keep a touch of incredulity from his voice.

"I have my ways," the genin answered cryptically.

"Still," Hiroto finally spoke up, "Tonbo-san could merely dislike his current duties."

Osamu nodded, "True enough, but when we came into this enclosure Yancha smelled blood."

"Not too surprising for a prison," Tonbo countered immediately, "There was a serious riot just last week. Resulted in four deaths."

"Yancha's nose is sensitive, but not sensitive enough to pick up that scent after the rain we had a few nights back," Hiroto swore that, despite the dire subject, Osamu was actually enjoying this, "That also wouldn't explain why _I _can smell the remnants of burnt meat. Were you having a barbecue?"

"You could say that," Tonbo muttered darkly. He had not enjoyed cleaning up that mess.

"You separated Masaru, Hotaka, and I so that we wouldn't feel any pressure from each other," Osamu went on, "I am guessing that they both went through with the test and passed."

Hiroto shook his head in amazement, "That's some pretty impressive attention to detail and deductive reasoning, but that doesn't mean you get to skip the test."

"I know that, Sensei," Osamu told him quietly, "I'm just not much of a fighter, so I wanted you to see what I'm really good at."

"So can you go through with an execution?" Hiroto asked him, "Your target is on death row."

"He did something bad enough to earn death," Osamu said to himself, "I don't suppose you'll tell me exactly what."

Hiroto shook his head, "Afraid not."

Osamu closed his eyes and leaned against the walkway's railing next to where his cat lay. He stayed that way for nearly a minute.

"No, Yancha. It isn't that simple," he said suddenly. Hiroto looked at Tonbo, who shrugged, "This isn't a hunt or territory dispute. Humans are different when it comes to killing. The majority of us don't enjoy it."

The feline got up and padded over to him, rubbing her head against his shoulder.

"I appreciate the sentiment," Osamu told her while scratching behind her ears, "But you can't do this for me. I have to do it on my own. Besides, how would you manage it at your size."

This time they heard an indignant growl out of her.

"Nee-san said I can't let you grow for at least another six months," he paused as if listening to her answer, "You may think you're full grown, but you could still grow another inch or two. You want to cause serious defects in your skeleton?"

Her ears and tail drooped slightly and Hiroto could only guess she had lost the argument.

Finally, Osamu turned his gaze back to his teacher, "I will do it, Sensei. For my clan, I must."

XxXxXxX

"That was pretty awesome, lady!" Naruto gushed as they made their way down the street, "Do you really make all that cool stuff with the red gear on it?"

"Sure do," Natsumi sent a death glare at a couple that were looking at Naruto in disgust. They scurried away at the sight of it.

"Man..." the blonde sighed, "Nii-san won't let me touch the stuff. Says I'd kill myself."

Natsumi gave a half shrug, "My trap kits aren't toys, kid. I used 'em back in the last war against Kumo. Know what they call me up there?"

Naruto shook his head and looked up at her with wonder.

"They call me 'Faceless Death' cause they never saw me," she chuckled darkly, "Weren't for that damn Hiraishin of Minato's I would have the highest kill count in village history."

"Woah! Really!?" Naruto practically yelled, "Did you know the Yondaime?"

"Graduated with him," she confirmed, "Never would have thought he'd be Hokage at the time."

"So... why are you helping me?" he suddenly changed gears. His voice was quieter now, "You know what's in me, so..."

"Bah..." she scoffed, "You're just some kid unlucky enough to be born at the wrong time. You didn't do anything to this village but save it."

"Why don't more people think that?" she looked down at him to see him sulking.

"Some do," she explained, "but they are too afraid of the stigma of associating with you."

"What's a stigma?" he asked, completely coming out of his funk.

"Don't worry about it," she shook her head in exasperation. They continued to walk on in silence for a time. She began to turn them down side streets and back alleys until they came to a dead end. There was a ramshackle looking shop at the terminal point with no sign, only a huge assortment of weapons crowding around the door.

"Whoa..." Naruto was dumbstruck, "I've never seen this place."

"Coarse not, "Natsumi told him easily, "This place is protected by some serious genjutsu seals to hide its location from those who have never been here before."

"Why is that?" he was scratching his head.

"The proprietor provides all of the weapons for ANBU and is considered the greatest smith in the Land of Fire," she explained as they approached the door, "He also sells to Konoha's most loyal."

"What if he won't sell to me?" Naruto asked nervously, "Most other places won't."

Natsumi let the question hang. The truth was, she wasn't all that sure herself. She opened the door, causing a small bell to ring.

"Welcome," a deep but friendly voice greeted from somewhere in the forest of steel that was the interior of the store. Finally, a large man worked his way into view.

The proprietor might have been imposing if not for the easy and genuine smile on his face. He was tall, easily topping six feet, with a broad chest and bulging arms covered with tiny burn scars. He was wearing a set of thick leather pants and boots along with a heavy apron of similar material. His friendly face was smeared with a mixture of soot and sweat around his light brown eyes. He was wearing a bandana on his head, but tufts of brown hair were peeking out from it.

"Ah, Natsumi-san. Good to see..." his smile fell away when he spotted Naruto.

"Shuji-san, I want you to meet Uzumaki Naruto," her tone held a hint of warning in it, "He was having serious trouble obtaining proper supplies."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably under Shuji's gaze. Unlike most people who ignored him or sent him dirty looks, the smith's eyes were just sad. It was unnerving.

"If you don't want to bother with me, I can go," Naruto offered finally. He half turned to do just that, but Natsumi's cane stopped him.

"You don't need to do that, Naruto-kun," Shuji finally rumbled out, "It's just that my wife died the night you were born."

Naruto shuffled his feet. He understood the message behind those words, "I'm sorry for your loss, Shuji-san."

The smith nodded his acceptance and smiled again; though, it failed to reach his eyes, "Trouble with the other shop owners, eh?"

"Soji was trying to send him away empty handed," Natsumi explained to him, "And something tells me he hasn't had much luck elsewhere."

"Damned rats," Shuji muttered, "Well, in any case... I can get you outfitted easily enough. Were you looking to get a standard load-out, or perhaps a _real _weapon."

Naruto looked around at all of the various forms of metallic death, "You mean... You'll sell to me?"

"You kidding?" Shuji shuddered a bit, "You have any idea what Natsu here will do to me if I don't?"

Naruto looked at Natsumi, who had an evil grin on her face, and shuddered himself. He began to wander through the store and soon found it to be far larger than he first thought. Out of habit he kept his hands firmly at his sides lest Shuji think him stealing, but eventually he couldn't help himself.

He reached out for a ninja-to in a flat black sheath, "You really made all of these, Shuji-san?"

"Every metal weapon in here," the smith explained, "My daughter has a better feel for woodwork, so she makes the bows, staves, and cudgels."

Naruto placed the blade he was examining back as he found it, and took up a longbow. He tested the pull and found it almost impossible to bend.

"Easy with that," Shuji warned, "You can't just take a bow. Gotta test your strength and find the right pull weight."

"I think I should just get a basic load-out for now," Naruto finally said. He could feel gama-chan shrinking just looking at all the tempting weapons, "Maybe I should talk to Nii-san or Sensei before I get something larger."

"Good idea," the large man agreed with a smile, "I've got some ready made sets at the counter. They're 10,000 apiece. How many do you need?"

Naruto gaped at him, "10,000. B-but..."

Shuji frowned at the reaction, "I know it seems a bit steep, but my work is the best in the village. I might be willing to give a bulk discount for a large order..."

Naruto shook his head, "No! I've been charged _twice _that for practice gear. Nii-san too."

The smith scowled, "I can't believe those fools. Cheating a child for something out of his control," his face softened and he sighed, "Well... _I_ can at least make sure you are decently equipped."

"Thank you, Shuji-san," Naruto wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket to prevent the water in his eyes from going down his cheeks, "Can I get four sets, so I can give a couple to my Nii-san."

"You talking about Ryoukou Hiroto?" Shuji inquired curiously. At Naruto's nod he took on a pensive look.

Finally after nearly a minute of deliberation, "I'll give you the two for yourself. Bring your Nii-san by here, and I'll sell to him directly."

"Wow, really!" Naruto was jumping up and down now, "This is awesome."

He turned to thank Natsumi, but she was already gone.

Outside she leaned against the wall of the alley and allowed some very rare tears to fall. Being around him was harder than she thought.

She managed to get control of her emotions before hobbling back towards home. She needed to check on her own knucklehead.

XxXxXxX

Osamu could tell right away that his enemy was insane. There was no other way he could explain the wildly fluctuating red aura he saw. The prisoner, Haru according to Tonbo, seemed to oscillate back and forth from pure rage to deep depression over the course of a mere minute. Under the other emotions was a constant and pervasive guilt.

Haru wasn't too tall, but he did look strong. Perhaps he had been a dock worker or farmer. His watery blue eyes were half hidden by his wild straw colored hair, but Osamu could see a terrible desperation in them. He'd torn off the sleeves of his beige prison uniform, and there were numerous ragged scratch marks up and down his arms.

"Are you here to release me?" Haru's crazed eyes fixed on Osamu, "Please release me."

"I can't let you go," Osamu sounded slightly apologetic, "I am here to kill you for your crimes."

Haru's dull eyes brightened and he fell to his knees. Osamu saw his aura begin to level out, and a new emotion appeared... hope, "Finally. I can be released."

It seemed the prisoner was ready to die for his crimes. Osamu cringed at the idea of killing someone who wouldn't defend themselves, but he took out a kunai and walked forward anyway. He had earned death through his own actions. What did it matter whether he accepted it or not?

As Osamu closed in, he saw tears streaking down the man's face. The whole situation was becoming a tad surreal. He stopped in front of Haru who lifted his head to expose the vulnerable blood vessels of the neck.

"May I be forgiven for my crimes..." he whispered, closing his eyes.

Osamu lifted his kunai and placed it just under Haru's left earlobe. He planned to open a gash from ear to ear so the man would bleed out faster. He couldn't help but hesitate when he saw something odd pass through his victim's aura. He could have sworn a streak of sickly yellow had passed through the vibrant red.

"NO!" Haru screamed. He snagged Osamu's arm, who immediately tried to slip away. Haru's hand was like a vice, though, and the genin found himself trapped. The crazed man jerked Osamu's hand back towards his neck, trying to finish himself.

Osamu saw the yellow shoot back through Haru's aura like puss bursting from an infected wound. The prisoner's muscles locked up, stopping him from killing himself.

"You should know better by now, Haru," he seemed to chide himself as his aura shifted completely to the yellowish color. He looked at Osamu and smiled wickedly, "What shall I do with you?"

Osamu didn't think twice. He lunged at the arm holding his own and sank his oversized fangs into the meaty wrist and jerked his head. He pulled back with a small chunk of flesh in his teeth. With a cry of surprise and pain, Haru loosened his grip. Osamu was able to slip away, but had to drop his kunai in the process. He spit the chunk of flesh away and wiped the blood trickling down his chin on his arm wraps.

"Savage little fucker," the prisoner said with a grin as he got to his feet, "I like that. You might be fun."

Osamu's sensitive ears picked up Tonbo and his sensei discussing his foolish mistake in trusting Haru's intent to die. It irked him a little, but they couldn't see what he did. He had seen a myriad of subtle variations on both yellow and red, some approaching orange, but he had yet to witness the color _changing. _This new aura also felt... tainted.

"Sensei," Osamu called up to Hiroto while keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Haru, "There is something very wrong with this man."

"I know, Osamu-kun," Hiroto sounded a bit exasperated, "That's part of the reason he's on death row."

Haru was stalking forward now, that nasty grin still plastered on his face. He suddenly darted forward, moving far faster than anyone should. It was thanks to Osamu's motion sensitive eyes that he could keep up at all. He leapt straight up nearly fifteen feet as Haru slammed his fist where he had just stood. A small crater let him know that a single blow like that would kill him.

He came down onto Haru's head as he was recovering from the wild attack. He allowed the full force of his fall come to bear before leaping off, covering half the pit in a single bound.

"That's not what I meant, Sensei," Osamu finally managed to reply.

Before he could elaborate further, Haru was on him again. His charge was less reckless this time, and Osamu knew his last trick would be countered, and retreat would only get him herded into a corner. All he could do was stand his ground.

A fist came at his face, so he ducked it. He then twisted to the side to avoid the knee that was rising to catch him mid dodge. He ended up on his back and had to roll to avoid the vicious stomp that would have crushed his chest.

A burst of his chakra, partially formed with no hand signs, dazzled Haru with nonexistent lights long enough for him to gain his feet and retreat. He flew through a set of hand seals to weave a more complex illusion.

"Mouten no Jutsu," he whispered quietly to help shape the chakra properly. He had never produced genjutsu in such a tense situation and figured he could use all the help he could get.

Haru shook his head and looked around, "Where did you go, you little bastard?"

Osamu kept silent and began to circle his enemy. He drew a few kunai in his right hand and began to throw them with his left. One managed to go halfway to the ring in Haru's right calf. The other two only grazed his side as he rolled away.

"Where are you?" he sounded more angry than anything, but Osamu saw an undercurrent of fear run through the sickly yellow of his aura. He didn't seem to be hampered by his injuries, though.

Haru began to laugh suddenly, a burst of confidence running through the yellow glow about him, "I get it... the genjutsu causes a blank in my vision where ever you are."

He charged in Osamu's general direction, but was off by a few feet, slamming his fist into the wall and sending a web of cracks through the stone, "Gah! The spot's bigger than you are, then."

Osamu finally decided to risk making noise. He couldn't help but feel there was something terribly wrong with this man, and that it need to be researched.

"Sensei... his aura isn't right," Osamu called up, "It's tainted or something."

He didn't receive an immediate answer from Hiroto, but Haru seemed ecstatic at that bit of information.

"So you're one of them Spirit Talkers that Master is afraid of," he burst out happily, "Man, am I lucky. First I off this poor fools family cause his daughter can talk to dead people, then Konoha is so kind as to bring me another to slaughter."

Osamu's face fixed into a rictus of cold anger, "You murdered his whole family?"

"Yea!" Haru seemed excited to share, "Best part is he thinks it's his fault. I've had a great time tormenting him with it."

The way he was talking gave Osamu an idea of what was going on here, but he still wasn't sure.

"My Nee-san is going to draw you out, spirit," Osamu promised to see if it elicited a confirming reaction, "Then she is going to torment you in ways that can't be experienced with flesh."

Haru just started laughing, "There's nothing she or anyone can do to me that'll top Master."

"We'll see," Osamu countered.

"Wanna hear something funny?" the possessed man asked. He answered before hearing a reply, "I'm not limited to this body's natural abilities. KAI!"

"SHIT!" Osamu managed to leap away from the sudden chakra enhanced charge, but was unprepared and ended up in a tumble.

He managed to gain his feet quickly, but Haru was already halfway to him again, grinning evilly. He wasn't fast enough to get away this time. The sudden obscurement of Haru's face by a golden furred back broken by a wide black stripe made Osamu smile.

XxXxXxX

Yancha watched nervously from her perch on the walkway railing as her human squared off with the strange prisoner. His sudden acceptance of his own impending death confused her thoroughly. Despite her superior intelligence and deep connection to one of the species, humans continued to confound her by their actions.

She saw the suddenly shifting aura, and felt a thrum of alarm from Osamu. She began to purr in distress to see him trapped, but chose to see if he could escape on his own. She might not always be around to look out for him, and the two older humans looked ready to intervene if his life was in real danger.

Her purring went from distressed to happy when she saw him make use of part of his unusual anatomy to escape. His fangs and other biological anomalies might have made him a freak amongst his species, but they also gave him some nasty advantages.

"You may want consider sending him to the academy in any case," the blind man commented to the tiger painted individual, "that was a terrible mistake."

She grew angry at his tone, and her tail began to swish back and forth. He didn't know what had truly transpired down there. Honestly she didn't know either, but she could feel Osamu had an idea.

"Perhaps," Hiroto hedged, "He's still young. Experience will be a better teacher than any remedial courses."

"Sensei," Osamu called up to Hiroto, "There is something very wrong with this man."

"I know, Osamu-kun," Hiroto replied a bit exasperated, "That's part of the reason he's on death row."

Haru charged then, but Osamu was far too nimble to be caught by such a straightforward attack.

"That's not what I meant, Sensei," he called back up.

Yancha looked back at Hiroto and saw he was watching the fight with a great deal of intensity. His hands were deforming the metal railing where he was gripping them. Did this man have such a vested interest in her human?

"Tonbo-san, you said Haru completely confessed to his crimes," his eyes remained fixed on Osamu, "Why did you suggest him for this?"

Tonbo shrugged, "He's killed two other inmates that attacked him. He admitted he was able to boost with his chakra. I figured he would be as good a test as the last two."

"He seemed ready to die a moment ago. Why would he defend himself against the other prisoners?" Hiroto asked seriously.

Tonbo turned as if to look directly at the jonin, "He seems willing enough to live right now."

Hiroto shook his head, "No... his body language is all different than it was at first. You can't see the subtleties, but its like he's a different person."

"You think the boy knows what he is talking about?" Tonbo seemed a bit incredulous.

Hiroto nodded, "Possibly... his clan was known in Lightning for their unusual abilities. Seeing spirits, reading auras, and the like."

Yancha perked up at that information. Zuki had told her the clan wasn't well known outside of the mountains it was from. Was this the shinobi from Kumogakure that Ren had been so worried about?

"Sensei... his aura isn't right," Osamu broke his silence finally, "It's tainted or something."

That seemed to catch his attention, "Just like her," he muttered.

Things seemed to go downhill from there. It wasn't until Haru broke Osamu's genjutsu that she knew he was in over his head. She tamped her haunches and waited for the right moment. Her powers weren't fully mature yet, and if she had to go too far, she would be useless from the disorentation afterward.

There. Osamu had tumbled out of the last charge and was a bit too slow in gaining his feet. She let her instincts guide her as she launched from the rail. Haru was about ten feet from Osamu and closing fast, and she wouldn't get there in time. At least if she were normal.

With a burst of her chakra and an instant of vertigo, she was suddenly right in front of Haru's face. Her momentum had been preserved, and he was suddenly flailing as she began to claw savagely at his face. She managed to get good purchase with her fore-claws in his scalp and began to kick her back feet as fast as she could just as Zuki had taught her. Unlike when she play-fought with her older cousin, she had her long rear claws fully extended.

Haru finally managed to get a hold of her tail, and she retracted her claws and allowed herself to be slung away. Another jaunt prevented a nasty impact with the wall, and she skidded to a halt in the dirt. She reeled drunkenly to her feet; that last one had been a bit much for her. She just hoped her intervention would be enough.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto was still considering stopping the test to get a better understanding of what was going on when Yancha leapt in. He was about to shunshin in front of Osamu when he saw the feline wasn't going to make it, but her sudden jaunt through space stopped him cold.

"Did she just... teleport?" Tonbo asked in amazement.

"I think she did," Hiroto replied in the same tone.

Yancha left Haru's face a bloody mess. She had managed to deal some serious damage to one of his eyes, and it refused to open. The rest of his face had deep lines of angry red leeking blood, and he looked furious when he whipped her off by the tail. Another jaunt through space prevented her from slamming into the wall, and she skidded to a halt on the ground.

Haru ignored the feline and decided to go straight for Osamu. The boy was now ready, a kunai in his left hand.

"Time to end this, you little shit," Haru sneered.

A burst of chakra, so strong even the insensitive Hiroto felt it, came off of Haru.

"HIROTO!" Tonbo yelled, but the jonin needed no prompting. This enemy was far more powerful than he seemed, and Osamu was in terrible danger.

Haru vanished from sight as Hiroto leapt into the pit. Even in the time slowing battle trance, he couldn't track the prisoner.

He watched in horror as Haru appeared in front of Osamu with a hand around his left wrist already. He wasn't going to make it. He was going to fail at the one thing he had originally come to Konoha to do.

XxXxXxX

Osamu couldn't believe the speed that Haru had just moved at. He could feel a strong grip on his wrist, but before the pressure could break it, bright red bloomed within the yellowish aura. Without thinking, Osamu began to pour unshaped, but spiritually supercharged chakra into Haru with only one intention. To help that red aura take back control.

"NO!" he screamed, "I WON'T LET YOU KILL ANYONE ELSE WITH MY BODY!"

The red completely overtook the yellow, and with a look of immense gratitude, Haru pulled Osamu's hand to his neck. He forced the kunai into his own flesh, and then tore a ragged gash across his throat. Blood gushed from the wound and soaked Osamu's arm.

Haru released the teen as he fell to the ground convulsing. His blood continued to gush out for what seemed an eternity to Osamu, but that look of gratitude never left Haru's face. Before the light faded from his eyes, he managed to mouth two words silently.

'Thank you.'

XxXxXxX

It wasn't until arriving back in Konoha that Hiroto broke the silence. As much as Osamu needed time to come to terms with Haru's death, it was imperative he know what happened back there.

"You said his aura was tainted?" he prompted.

Osamu continued to stare ahead as they walked. He was unconsciously rubbing his right hand over his now bare left forearm. Hiroto was just about to inquire again when Osamu spoke.

"I've never seen it change color before," his face screwed up in confusion, "At first it was bright red, like a burning coal. Then, it turned a nasty shade of yellow."

"You mentioned your Nee-san drawing out a spirit..." Hiroto continued to prod.

Osamu nodded, "It was only a guess, but I think he was possessed. I'm not sure by what, though."

Hiroto deliberated very seriously on what to do next. This wasn't his first brush with something like this. Twice before he had dealt with seemingly possessed people. This was one area where his vast store of knowledge failed him. He knew little of spirits other than stories and legends. He needed expert advice, but the only experts he knew of were the very people he didn't want to explain things to. There was a very real possibility of a threat to Konoha, though.

"There are some things we need to discuss, Osamu-kun," he finally decided.

"Is this about you being from Kumo?" Osamu looked up at him, his expression unreadable.

"How did..." the genin interrupted him by pointing to the feline draped around his shoulders.

"Yancha, guessed you were from there after hearing some things you said during my test," he explained. Despite his efforts, he shuddered at mentioning the grisly act.

Hiroto made a note to be more careful how he spoke around animals in the future, "There's more to it than that. We need privacy."

XxXxXxX

Osamu leaned back against the flank of a sleeping puma mulling over the story he had just heard. A cougar was stretched out next to him emitting a bass thrum of a purr, and Yancha was curled in his lap. The great cats had come to him instantly when they had entered the garden. They seemed to pick up on his distress, and sought to comfort him in their own small way.

Hiroto sat in the grass nearby, stroking the fur of a tigress that had taken an instant liking to him. He watched with veiled apprehension to hear the teens judgment.

He had told Osamu everything about the night that had changed both their lives so much. Osamu had listened and kept his face mostly neutral through the whole story. There were a few grimaces and looks of anger at certain points, but they vanished quickly.

It had been both a relief, and a terrible disappointment that Ren had not been present to hear. He knew she would find out eventually now that Osamu knew, but he would have liked to let the truth out to both of them at once. At the same time, Ren was old enough to remember that night, and he dreaded what she truly thought of him.

"Amazing," Osamu finally said, "To think the man who saved our lives has been here this whole time."

Hiroto frowned. He had expected something... different.

Osamu apparently picked up on his confusion, "What? You expected anger, resentment... retribution maybe?"

"Well..." he had tried to avoid those thoughts to be honest, "Yea. Kinda."

Osamu shook his head ruefully, "You saved us. You broke one of the greatest taboos to do it, too."

He had never really thought along those lines. He just shrugged and gave a weak smile.

"You really saw Kaa-san when she..." Osamu choked up a little, but his eyes finished the question for him.

Hiroto nodded sadly. Before he could say anything, they heard a door closing.

"Osa-kun," Ren's voice carried through the house, "I'm home. Are you back from your test yet?"

"Out here, Nee-san," Osamu called out to her.

The jonin that had seen countless small scale battles, had almost died to save another on multiple occasions, seized up at the thought of finally confronting the girl he had saved. Osamu had been easier. He had no memories of that night and had admitted that Ren was rather tight-lipped on details. His was the first real account of that night that the younger Sakibou had heard.

His indecision on what to do found him still sitting, scratching behind the ears of the content tigress. Ren exited the back of the house and came to a stop staring directly at him. This was the first close look he had gotten of Ren in nearly thirteen years. Despite his uneasiness around her, he found himself noting how beautiful she had become.

"Nee-san, this is my new Sensei, Ryoukou Hiroto," Osamu introduced. Silence reigned after those words, and soon the great cats around the garden began to become agitated from the palpable tension.

"Osa-kun... this man is..." she began to say.

"From Kumogakure," the younger sibling finished for her, "I know. He told me himself."

"And you let him into our home!?" her voice cracked near the end, "He could be a spy for all you know!"

Hiroto rocked back on his proverbial heels. He had expected a negative reaction from her, but not one so... impersonal. Then it hit him; she didn't recognize him. After all these years, she couldn't match his face to the one that had told her to flee. The irony almost made him laugh.

"I understand your trepidation, Ren-san," he said instead. He stood up to be sure he could move quickly in case her obvious dislike of him became more physical, "My defection was actually a result of many things, but the attack on your clan was the final straw."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Your service record doesn't start until nearly a year-and-a-half later."

He really did have to hold back a laugh at that. She had incomplete information. His service had only been just over ten years because he hadn't been a real citizen for that first year-and-a-half.

Before he could formulate an answer for that, Osamu came to his defense, "Show some respect, Nee-san. This man is a _jonin. _They don't just give that rank away. The Hokage has to trust him."

The adults gaped at Osamu, but it was Ren who spoke first, "Otouto, he..."

"No, Ren," the lack of his familial address stopped her dead, "He is a Konoha shinobi now. He is my assigned Sensei, and I trust him."

Those three words, 'I trust him', from a Sakibou sent a thrum of happiness through Hiroto like he hadn't felt in a long time.

"How can you?" Ren had finally found her voice again, but she was quieter now.

"You know I can see people in ways no one else can," he explained simply, "His soul is bare to me. It may be he is from Kumo, but he doesn't mean us any harm."

She bit her lower lip in thought.

"Please, Nee-san," Osamu's tone became plaintive. He was still a little brother seeking the approval of his elder sibling, "I need you to trust me on this."

It was then that Hiroto realized the boy had no intention of retelling his story. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Ren sighed in defeat, "Okay, Osa-kun."

She turned to Hiroto before continuing, "But if he ever betrays that trust, I will hurt him in ways that he can't imagine."

He nodded his head once to her and move to leave, "Osamu-kun. Meet at Training Ground Eighteen at six hundred hours day after tomorrow."

He heard a sound of assent come from his genin as he left. After he had gotten out the front door he allowed his muscles to relax. He had to admit; the frightened little girl had become a frightening woman.

* * *

Whew. That was a long one. I hope there aren't too many errors. I finished a bit too late for a another to do a sweep for me. I did one myself, but I am currently very tired from lack of sleep. It was a toss-up whether to delay it a day or not. I decided against it to remind myself that two weeks is plenty of time for me to write 8k words. Especially when I'm still on my holiday break.

Feel free to harangue me for any glaring errors you find to really drive the point home.

Sakibou Osamu  
Rank: Genin  
Gender: Male  
Birth Date: September 27  
Hair: Black  
Eyes: Amber  
Height: 4' 10" (147 cm)  
Weight: 95 lbs (43 kg)  
Sakibou Osamu is the youngest surviving member of a once powerful clan. He is named after the clan's founder, and like him carries the kekkei genkai _Kononkyou._ He is determined to help his sister bring their clan back to its former glory.

_Mouten_ (Blind Spot)  
Type: Genjutsu (Visual)  
Rank: C  
Effect: The target develops a blank spot in their vision where the user is. The spot is large enough that the exact location of the user is hard to pinpoint, but it is still possible to find their general position.


	16. Aftermath

There was a great deal of tension in the air between Ren and her brother. Despite her assurance that she would trust Osamu's judgment, a constant nagging worry ate at the back of her mind.

They remained silent for the entire time they prepared their meal, and except for a short giving of thanks for the food, this continued well into its consumption. Neither ate very much, and she could see her brother's growing consternation.

"You can't hide it from me, Nee-san, so just say what's on your mind," he finally burst out.

The anger in his words caused her own temper to flare, "I told you I would trust you on the matter."

"But you don't, do you?" Osamu grated out. Nearby, their felines looked to one another in worry. It was exceedingly rare for the siblings to fight this way.

"I just... you don't know what it was like, Osa-kun," she couldn't seem to find the right words, "I just can't wrap my head around trusting him... not after what his village did."

"I don't know because you won't talk about it," he shot back angrily, "You refuse to share the burden with me."

"How dare you!" she cried in frustration, "I do that to protect you!"

"You do it because you're afraid, Nee-san," he shot back, using his gift to dig into his sisters psyche, "You're afraid of those memories and the feelings they inspire. The rage and desire for revenge."

"That's not true..." she protested weekly.

"Isn't it?" he countered hotly, "I saw how your anger flared when Sensei was here. I saw the way you almost palmed a kunai from your sleeve."

She knew he had probably seen her emotions, but she hadn't thought him good enough to see such a subtle movement yet. Even the jonin hadn't noticed it. She could see the judgment in his eyes, and the hurt that brought on caused her fury to rise again.

"What does it matter if I told you or not?" she asked coldly, "You couldn't possibly understand what it was like that night. What it was like to lose everything I loved. What it was like to lose our parents."

She immediately regretted those words when Osamu's face blanked completely of all emotion. He had a natural tendency to mask his emotions, but never to the point where a perceptive individual couldn't read him. Only when he was angered beyond where most people would lose reason did he get like this. She had only seen it twice before, and she hated herself for bringing it on again.

"You're right, Nee-san," he agreed in a flat tone devoid of all feeling, "I don't know what it was like to lose our parents."

He stood up and began to make his way to his room, "I do, however, know what it's like to never have known them."

Ren felt all the anger drain away, only to be replaced by deep regret. Tears began to fall from her eyes when she heard the soft thump of her brother's door. She had just made a terrible mistake, and she wasn't sure how to make it right.

XxXxXxX

Floating. Like the serene sensation of drifting in water. That was how it felt. The first time the dreams had come to him, they had scared Osamu a great deal. Now he was immensely thankful to his bound spirit for its timing. He hadn't wanted to sleep, dreading the nightmares he knew would follow his first kill and the terrible fight he'd just had with his sister.

He opened his eyes to the strange vista he had come to associate with the void spirit. Bright points of light shined from all directions as he floated in nothingness. To his right he could see a massive cloud-like formation in colors spanning the spectrum from yellow to red with small areas of bright blue mixed in. It was lit from within at multiple points by some unknown sources.

He felt the Garandou no Seirei's presence begin to coalesce. With it came a myriad of whispering voices ranging from the high tenor of a young girl to the deep bass of a large man to the wheezing of the ancient. The voices all seemed to be talking about different things at once, creating a cacophony of sounds and words. Soon they began to line up, and the spirit spoke to him.

"Hello, Osamu," the voices were never completely in sync, giving the spirit's speech an echoing quality, "You have grown since last we spoke."

"It has been six months," he replied, "I'm no bigger than I was."

"Your physical form is of no consequence to me except that it currently houses your spirit," the whispers explained, "You have gained some small wisdom recently; though, the cost was your innocence."

"You mean the man I killed..." his voice was now no louder than the individual ones that composed the spirit he spoke to, "What wisdom does killing provide?"

"It is not the act of killing, but the exposure to death and mortality," the spirit told him, "You know now how easy it is to take away life. What you do with that knowledge will define you."

"I couldn't save him from the spirit that possessed him," he lamented sadly, "He didn't need to die."

"Perhaps," Garandou allowed, "But, what did taking the life of his whole family do to him? His mind was broken. You released his spirit back into the cycle to be cleansed."

"So I helped him?" Osamu asked with no small amount of incredulity.

"Death is inevitable for your kind, Osamu," the spirit told him, "Would you have had him live to the end of his days with memories of his family tormenting him?"

"I..." he didn't really have an answer for that, "I don't know. You don't see death like we do."

"I know this," it agreed, "As a spirit I have no body and no mind. I simply am. It is the same for your soul. The intersection of flesh and spirit creates an entity that is a conundrum to me."

Osamu sighed, "There is no good answer, is there?"

"Perhaps," it hedged, "In any case, it is time for you to learn something new. Tell me what you have gained from me already."

"You've taught me to manipulate fear, anger, and sadness so far," Osamu ticked off on his fingers.

"You will soon have the basis for all of your ancestor's techniques," the spirit informed him, "After this next lesson, you must find your own way."

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

"I am going to teach you how to bring peace to ones emotions," Garandou explained, "Pay close attention, child. This is perhaps the most important thing I can teach you."

XxXxXxX

The sun had long since risen, and Masaru was awake to greet it.

He had been that way for some time. Sleep had been hard to come by, and when he did doze off, he was greeted by a horrid nightmare.

He finally lifted himself up to begin his day. There were things he needed to get done, and he had agreed to meet with his friends to discuss the test.

He suddenly didn't want to go, but he doubted Hotaka or Osamu wouldn't show. The idea that they hadn't completed their task never entered his mind. Considering their respective goals, neither could afford decommissioning.

He wondered how they were handling their first kills. Better than him, he hoped.

XxXxXxX

Hotaka stared at his food and fiddled with his chopsticks listlessly. He was seeing again the running pyre he had turned Aito into. A shudder went up his spine, not from horror or guilt, but from the satisfaction it gave him. It scared him to find no remorse in his heart from the act.

He sighed and set his chopsticks down.

"What's wrong, Hotaka?" his mother asked him from across the table where she was eating.

He just shook his head and stood, "I don't want to talk about it."

He left before she could wheedle him. She would work the information out of him, and he didn't want to break down in front of her again. He was an adult by the standards of his village, so he would act like one.

He left the house to meet with his friends. He didn't really want to face them. Masaru likely wasn't nearly as conflicted as him, and Osamu was so determined he wouldn't let his worries slow him down.

Maybe their strength would help him overcome his own troubles.

XxXxXxX

Osamu leapt from his window and landed lightly just outside their property line. He began to walk down the street in search of a quick meal to satiate his hunger.

His night had been blessedly free of nightmares thanks to his spirit, but it didn't help his waking worries. The argument he'd had with his sister after his Sensei left had been nothing short of epic. That plus the weight of guilt for the death of what he saw as an innocent man had him dragging his feet.

He felt a little bad for leaving the house without saying anything, but he couldn't face Ren right now. She didn't even know about his first kill yet. He didn't know how to tell her; she had never taken a life.

His troubles swirled in his mind as he walked, and soon he was at the park where he and his friends had played as young children and trained more recently. He'd forgotten to find something to eat, but his stomach had seemed to tighten as he walked.

A inquisitive trill drew his attention down. When he saw Yancha at his feet he palmed his face.

"I'm sorry, girl," he told her, "I totally forgot to wake you, didn't I."

_'You did,'_ she began to clean herself. It was a morning ritual for her to groom her long golden fur, _'You are still sad?'_

He nodded but didn't say much else. Soon he saw his two friends approaching. He stopped suppressing his _reikimokushi_ to get a better look at their emotional states and found them both to be in a great deal of turmoil.

In a way, that made him feel better. He had somehow come to the conclusion that both of them would handle this better than him.

They came to a stop in a rough triangle and looked at each other in silence.

"She killed seventeen people, nine women and eight men," Masaru finally broke the silence, "but no matter how hard I try, I can't get rid of my guilt."

Hotaka closed his eyes, "I'm having the opposite problem. I can't bring myself to feel any remorse for the arsonist who burned a whole family alive. What if... what if I'm just like him."

"The man I killed was deranged... and likely possessed," Osamu said quietly when it was his turn, "I worry that I took the life of an innocent man."

They all roughly sat down at the same time.

"I figured you guys would be better at this than me," Hotaka admitted with a bitter laugh.

"Funny," Masaru replied, "I thought the same thing."

"That makes three of us," Osamu agreed with a mirthless smirk.

"What now?" Hotaka asked, "I'm afraid of what I might become if I have to do this again."

Masaru shrugged, "I guess we could quit. I'm sure Hiroto-sensei would help us get decommissioned if we ask."

It really hit home the turmoil they were in when he suggested that. Each had dreamed of being a shinobi for years, and now, after they had made it, they weren't sure if they could continue.

"I won't quit," Osamu finally said with conviction, "I won't let this stop me. Haru might have been innocent, but I can't help others like him if I give up here."

The other two frowned in thought. Finally Masaru looked up and fixed his eyes on Osamu.

"I can't let my guilt stop me either," he said quietly, "Kaa-san protected this village with everything she had during the last war, and she killed hundreds to do it. If that's what it takes to protect our home, I'll do it too."

Hotaka remained silent for some time, and his face grew conflicted.

"You'll still be our friend one way or the other, Hotaka," Osamu told him, "I know you're afraid, and there's nothing wrong with that."

Masaru nodded in agreement and the two of them shot Hotaka supportive smiles.

He smiled back sadly, "I don't feel any remorse for killing Aito, but I could never forgive myself if I left you two without any real combat support. I'm in."

A collective weight seemed to lift from their shoulders. They were far from okay, but together they found their shared burden felt far less heavy.

As one their stomachs growled, forming an odd chorus of hunger.

"Guess I wasn't the only one who skipped out on breakfast," Masaru observed, and they shared a much needed, if greatly subdued, laugh.

XxXxXxX

Nearby, watching silently from a tree, Anko smiled. When Mayu had told her about Hiroto's test, she had been torn between professional admiration and familial rage. She was an orphan and a pariah due to her Sensei, but she considered each of those boys as little brothers. She knew that they felt she was an older sister, too, despite her schedule keeping her from visiting very often.

She had taken a day of leave to see how they would handle the trial, but her worry proved unfounded. They were on their way to being good shinobi and a great team.

She snuck away shortly after they had left to seek sustenance and made her way to Ren's place. Mayu had asked her to meet there after she was satisfied.

Anko found the boys' guardians around the Sakibou table with cups of tea. Ren was shaking slightly and had a look of immense worry on her face.

"Kami... he's killed a man," she whispered, "I said some terrible things to him last night, too. I... I didn't know."

Anko sat next to her peer and put an arm around her, "If it makes you feel any better, he's going to be okay."

Mayu and Natsumi nodded their agreement.

"What about Masa-kun and Hota-kun?" she asked, looking from person to person with sad eyes, "They're all so young..."

"They are shinobi now," Mayu told her, "They were bound to go through this sooner or later. Hiroto-san may have done them a favor by having them do it in a controlled environment."

"You were singing a different tune when we talked yesterday, Mayu," Anko smirked at her.

The crippled woman sighed, "True enough, but I had some time to think last night. Perhaps we're lucky he defected. Kumo lost a great shinobi in him."

Ren tensed under Anko's arm, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What would you have done with the information," Natsumi asked neutrally, "Gotten Osa-kun reassigned? The old man knows what he's doing, Ren-chan."

"I know," she closed her eyes, and her face screwed up in consternation, "Everything I've heard about the man leads me to believe he is trustworthy, but I just can't forget what his old village did."

"Maybe you should confront him directly," Anko suggested, "Hiroto's not a bad guy. Treated me with respect even knowing my history. Even saved my life. Nearly got himself killed doing it, too."

"But what if it's just an act?" Ren held stubbornly to her fears.

"For twelve years?" Anko countered.

"Twelve?" Ren's face screwed up in confusion, "His service record is only just over ten years long."

"First off: How do you have access to personnel reports?" Anko asked dubiously, "Secondly: Do you really think the Hokage would just let a defector into the Corps. without some sort of probationary period?"

Ren silently berated herself for letting on that she could get at normally classified files. Outwardly she said, "That would put his defection around the same time as the attack..."

Mayu shrugged, "Maybe he wasn't happy about the idea of wiping out a clan, and left as a protest."

"Why not warn them, then?" Natsumi asked seriously, "It's what I would have done in that position."

"Maybe he couldn't," Anko suggested reasonably, "Nukenin don't exactly get to go where ever they please."

Ren frowned, "I suppose the actual time of his defection raises a few questions, but I still don't know enough to actually trust him. Especially not with Osa-kun's life."

"He would have been interviewed extensively by T&I," Anko explained, "I wasn't there for it, but Ibiki was. Maybe he can tell me something."

"I would appreciate it, Anko," Ren leaned into her.

No problem, Ren," it made Anko happy to help. If the boys were little brothers to her, then Ren was most certainly a sister.

XxXxXxX

"Nii-san!" the shout cut through the blissful oblivion he had drunk himself into last night, "Wake up already. It's past noon!"

"Ugh..." Hiroto tried to roll over and away from the loud blonde only to find he was lying on the couch and not his bed. He fell off the edge and was forced fully awake.

"How late were you up?" his little brother ask with worry.

"Past three hundred, I think," he answered groggily.

When he looked up, Naruto pushed a glass of water and a bottle of pills in his face, "Here... get cleaned up. I got a surprise for you."

"It's not like the one where you tried to set off fireworks in the apartment is it?" he asked before swallowing a couple of the painkillers and downing the water.

"Nah," Naruto didn't even show a hint of shame for that debacle, "This is really good."

Hiroto dragged himself up, wobbled a bit, then made his way to the bathroom.

"You haven't drank like this in a long time, Nii-san," Naruto called after him. There was undisguised concern in his voice, "You weren't... you didn't do any drawings did you?"

Hiroto froze at the bathroom door, "How do you know about those?" his voice came out as barely a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Nii-san," the blonde was rubbing his hands together nervously, "I found one under the couch a few months back while cleaning. It was... scary."

The jonin rubbed his face, "The memories that spawn them are far scarier."

"Does it have to do with you leaving your old village?" Naruto asked.

He nodded in reply, "It was a terrible night, Naruto. Please... please don't ask me any more about it."

"O-okay, Nii-san," the teen agreed uncertainly. He summoned an uneasy smile, "Well get ready, cause this surprise is going to blow you away."

XxXxXxX

Hinata wasn't quite exhausted. Tired, yes, but the success of her team in Kurenai's test had her feeling slightly giddy. Osamu had been right about her teammates. Kiba was generally friendly in a loud way, and Shino was nice, if a bit weird.

Kurenai had put them through the ringer. She took them outside of Konoha and told them if they made it back within forty-eight hours, they passed. What she didn't tell them upfront was that she would be throwing just about every trap and genjutsu she could come up with. To make things worse, she seemed to have ways to circumvent the natural defenses the groups heightened senses gave them against illusions.

Shino suspected that she had been using a combination of illusions and an unknown set of chemicals to throw him off, as his kikaichu colony should not have been fooled by any pure genjutsu. Kiba had seconded the notion when his and Akamaru nose had been put out of commission by a scent blinder on a few occasions. Hinata wasn't sure what her Sensei was doing to circumvent her eyes, but it had been frustrating. The tactics taught them to rely on each others senses and instincts rather quickly.

They had only been five kilometers from Konoha when they started, but Kurenai had informed them when they reached the gate that they had traveled roughly thirty. Considering they had started an hour after noon and taken a four hour rest, coming in at around fifteen hundred wasn't too bad.

Hinata was amazed at the praise she had received from both her teammates and her sensei. She knew she had contributed something since there were times only she had spotted a trap or found the way, but she couldn't quite accept that she had been equal to either of the others. At least they didn't outright dismiss her like her family.

The thought of her family broke her out of the reverie she had slipped into while walking home. As if on cue, the gates to the Hyuuga compound loomed up before her. She suppressed a shudder as the gates opened to admit her.

The guards on the inside nodded in greeting, but their faces remained stoic. What she would have given to see smiles on those faces. While she hated the expectations heaped onto her and her inevitable failure to meet them, she hated the coldness of the clan more. She would have given anything for the Hyuuga to be more open.

She came upon the main house and was about to enter when the door opened suddenly. Her older cousin stepped out, and she could almost feel the anger radiating off of him.

"H-hello, Neji-nii-san..." she greeted timidly, with a hint of worry. She had never seen him so openly mad.

His glare stopped her short. It wasn't just the intensity of it, but the dark bruises around his white eyes.

"What h-happened?" she gasped out.

Neji just stormed off in a huff.

"Some crippled taijutsu teacher gave him a 'personal lesson,'" Hinata turned to see her younger sister in the door with a faint smirk on her face, "Tenten-san told me all about it when she and that crazy green idiot brought him back yesterday."

Before Hinata could process that and respond, Hanabi changed gears on her, "Otou-sama wishes to see you about your genin test."

At that, she was gone. No 'How did you do, Nee-san?' or 'Welcome home, Hinata.' Just some gossip and a cold relaying of orders. She sighed sadly and made her way to her father's study.

XxXxXxX

The trip through Konaha was a bit surreal for Hiroto. He hadn't gotten such dirty looks since his first days in Konoha. He thought at first they were being directed at Naruto since the anniversary of the Kyuubi attack was coming up soon. He finally began to realize that the glares were his, and his alone, when he began to catch snatches of conversation.

He kept hearing references to a boy or child, and he wondered if it was already out how he had tested his team. He tossed out that idea soon after forming it since there was never mention of more than one person. He soon caught on that they were talking about Naruto after one mentioned the 'demon child.'

He knew it was extremely dangerous to focus chakra to sensory organs without knowledge of a specific technique to do so safely, but his curiosity soon had him ignoring that as he trickled minute amounts to his ears.

"... better off without him anyway," he heard a woman's voice say.

"Are you a fool?" a man replied to her, "If he takes the demon child away, that's just one more weapon for Kumo."

He ceased the chakra flow when he began to hear a ringing, but he had learned enough. People had the notion he planned to abscond back to Kumo with Naruto. Where they were getting that ridiculous idea, he had no idea. He had a feeling it had to do with the attempt on his life, though.

He put it out of his mind when they entered the back alleys of their home. Naruto was bursting with excitement as he led the way, and soon they arrived at a dead-end with a shop at the back of it.

"We're here!" Naruto announced excitedly, "Welcome to Shuji-san's shop!"

Hiroto's brain did a back flip, "Wait... _the _Shuji? The one who supplies ANBU? The one who is such a good smith he invites _you _to buy from him?"

"Yep!" Naruto looked up at him, eyes shining with pride.

"Okay... this is a great surprise," Hiroto allowed.

Naruto led the way in, and the jonin was blown away by the huge amount of finely crafted weapons he saw.

"Welcome back, Naruto-kun," the large smith greeted warmly when they entered the establishment, "And good day to you, Hiroto-san."

Shuji's eyes did not convey the same warmth for Hiroto as they had for his little brother, but the jonin didn't really care. All that mattered was that Shuji seemed honestly friendly towards the young pariah. Something in the man's eyes told Hiroto that his visit came with strings, and that they should be kept private from the blonde.

"You have a practice yard, Shuji-san?" he asked politely. When the man nodded, Hiroto grabbed a ninja-to and tossed it to a wide eyed Naruto, "Go try that out, kiddo. Don't kill yourself."

"Sure thing, Nii-san," he chirped happily and left out a door the smith indicated to him.

The smile dropped from Shuji's face, though it didn't take on a hostile mien, "Ryoukou Hiroto. Defector from Kumogakure, jonin of Konohagakure, captain and sensei of Genin Team Five, artist, recovering alcoholic, legal guardian of Uzumaki Naruto... I know you are all these things, but not who you are."

"What is your interest in me?" Hiroto asked seriously. He was keeping his hands away from his obvious weapons. Shuji wasn't just a phenomenal smith, he was said to be an expert in every weapon he could make.

"You've heard the rumors flying about?" the larger man asked.

"Surely you don't believe such tripe?" Hiroto laughed, "What would I gain? Despite what this village has done to him, Naruto loves it."

"I don't believe them," Shuji agreed easily, "And I know we have you to thank for teaching Naruto-kun to love this place despite the hardships it has placed on him."

"So why bring them up?" Hiroto was getting a bit confused.

"Because I helped start them," Shuji explained, "I was against informing you, but the Hokage insisted you should know what might be coming."

"Those rumors were sanctioned by Hokage-sama?" Hiroto asked with a frown.

"Not exactly..." Shuji winced, "I can't get into the specifics, but we operate relatively independent of official channels."

"We?" he inquired with interest. He knew there were layers of groups in service to the Hokage, but not what they were or who worked in them.

"When he found out what we were doing," Shuji went on as if the question had never popped up, "Hokage-sama insisted you should at least be warned."

"So what should I expect?" Hiroto decided to let the question of identity drop as a courtesy.

"There is a group in Konoha not in the direct control of the Hokage," Shuji explained, "They have already made one attempt on you, but we think its a ploy to direct attention away from the real target."

"Naruto," he breathed out, "He's alone out there right now."

"There are measures in place to keep an eye on him," Shuji patted the air, trying to allay his worry, "My daughter is out in the yard, too. Calm down."

"So why the rumors about me kidnapping him?" Hiroto tried hard to reign in his worry with only mild success.

"To refocus their efforts," Shuji smiled, "If they think you are about to run off with him, they will attempt to neutralize you first. Meanwhile, we have time to investigate why they are after Naruto-kun."

"That should be obvious," Hiroto deadpanned.

"Well... there is that," Shuji agreed reluctantly, "but, this is the first aggressive play they've made since his birth."

They lapsed into silence as Hiroto considered the possibilities.

"So I get to dodge attacks while looking after Naruto and my team," he finally said, "Great..."

"We don't think they will make any overt moves while your genin are around," Shuji countered, "Natsu would go on a warpath if anyone hurt her boy."

"Ren-san and Mayu-san would do the same," Hiroto added with a smirk.

He noted the tiniest bit of anger leak into the man's face at the mention of Hotaka's mother, but decided it was none of his business.

"I suppose there will be people keeping an eye on me as well?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

"There always were, Hiroto-san," Shuji smiled again.

"Tou-san!" a teenage girl with brown hair pulled up into a pair of buns came storming in dragging Naruto, bleeding from a cut high on his arm, behind her, "What are you doing giving long blades to fresh genin? He nearly took his own arm off!"

"I'm fine!" the blonde protested as he tried to twist away from the older girl.

Hiroto moved to Naruto with calm certainty, his hands already glowing green with healing chakra, "I got him."

"Oh... are you a medic?" the girl asked curiously, "I've been thinking about going that route."

"Not exactly... sit still, idiot," he answered and ordered Naruto at the same time, "I dabble in just about everything."

The wound closed up faster than he expected, and he soon ended his first aid technique.

"Thanks, Nii-san," Naruto smiled up at him, "The blade slipped."

"That's cause your grip was all wrong," the girl bopped him on the head.

"Hey!"

"Tenten, what have I told you about hitting customers," Shuji said in exasperation. He was smiling despite the rebuke.

"Sorry, Tou-san," she took the ninja-to from Naruto and gave a shallow bow, "I'm Tenten. I do the woodwork for Tou-san since he sucks at it."

"Thanks," her father said sarcastically, "Since you've got time to insult me, you've got time to watch the shop while I get some real work done."

Tenten began to grumble about needing to practice more but soon turned to Hiroto and Naruto with a smile, "Well, might as well introduce yourselves. We don't get many customers whose names I get to know."

Naruto jumped forward like the hyperactive child he was and nearly shouted, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna be the Hokage some day!"

Tenten's only answer was a snort of amusement, but she otherwise didn't comment.

"Ryoukou Hiroto," the jonin offered with a smirk.

"Good to meet you both," she said brightly, "Anything you would like to purchase?"

Naruto's eyes brightened in excitement, "That sword was awes..."

"No!" both Tenten and Hiroto shouted at once.

While he pouted, his guardian asked, "How much will ten basic load-outs cost me?"

The teen looked at him, surprised, for a moment, "T-ten? That's 10,000..."

"Done," he said then muttered, "I'll dodge assassins all day for that price."

"What was that?" Naruto asked as the girl went behind the counter to fill the order.

"Hmm... Nothing," no sense in worrying the kid.

When Tenten had the goods piled on the counter, Hiroto made to hand her the money. Instead of taking it, she suddenly gripped his wrist and tugged his arm closer. He was halfway to stabbing her when he realized she was just trying to get a better look at the tiger tattoo on him forearm. He sheepishly put away his kunai, but she hadn't even noticed him drawing it.

"This is amazing work," she breathed out in admiration, "The seal is literally worked into the tattoo as part of the stripes. No one without seal training would recognize it, and even then, they would need to see it this close."

Hiroto cleared his throat to catch her attention, "Can I have my arm back now?"

"Huh?" she looked up at his face, "Oh!"

She released him and gathered up the money he had dropped on the counter, "I'm sorry. I just don't get to see such excellent fuuinjutsu that often. Did you do them yourself?"

"Not exactly," he hedged. He wasn't sure he wanted her to see the Toratate. Considering her interest in seals and side profession as a crafter of weapons, she would probably go bonkers over the shields.

She just smiled at his vague answer, "I understand. Gotta keep that edge of surprise and all. Is there anything else I can get you?"

Naruto looked as if he was about to mention the ninja-to again, so Hiroto pushed him towards the door, "No... thank you, Tenten-chan. It was good to meet you."

"You too!" she called after them as they exited, "Come again!"

XxXxXxX

"O-otou-sama," his eldest daughters soft voice coming through the rice paper of his office door made him jump slightly, "You w-wished to see m-me."

Damned girl was like a ghost. He wondered if she would even show up to his Byakugan. He quickly tossed away the idle musing and composed himself.

"Enter," he said with quiet authority.

Hinata slid the door open and entered. She took a seat on a cushion before his writing table and touched her forehead to the floor in deference to him.

He nearly sighed in exasperation. His heir shouldn't have been bothering with such foolishness. Hell... he would have been fine if no one did that for him. Traditions were growing tiresome.

"Raise your head child," he ordered, "Tell me about your team. You had success during your test?"

"Y-yes, Otou-sama," Hinata confirmed, "We w-were given forty-eight h-hours and passed w-with over t-twenty to spare."

Every little stutter made Hiashi wince internally and curse the duties heaped on him. After his wife had died during the birth of their second daughter, the responsibilities of raising the children had been taken up by the clan elders; his own father specifically. His eldest had responded very poorly to her grandfather's traditional ideas of child rearing.

At first, Hiashi had been grateful to his father for taking on the burden of raising the children. Between the still fresh guilt for his brother's death years before, grief from losing his wife, and the duties to the clan, he hadn't noticed the damage being done to his daughter's psyche until it was too late to simply reverse it.

He suspected his father may have done some of it purposely. After Hizashi had died to protect him, Hiashi had sworn to change the clan for the better to honor his brother. His father hadn't liked that idea in the least. Traditions were paramount to him.

If Hiashi was going to make his changes really stick, he needed a strong heir who was also kind. Hinata had learned kindness from her mother, and Hiashi had planned to teach her to lead when she was ready. Her grandfather had ruined that possibility by damaging her confidence and trust. The slightest correction or chastisement from Hiashi would send her into depression, and he was hard pressed to find things to honestly praise her for since she shied away from challenges... not that she believed any praise she received.

The hardest part for him was considering dropping her as the heir. Hanabi was proving better in every way than her older sister, and the elders were putting pressure on him to name her the next clan leader. As much as he wanted a strong Hinata to take over, he had to see reality and make practical decisions. At some point he would have to give up on his dream and, worse, his daughter.

"O-otou-sama?" Hinata had raised her voice some. He hadn't been paying any attention to her report, but she seemed hopeful. Perhaps she wasn't so far gone she couldn't be helped.

"Well done, Hinata," he told her. She gave him a cautious smile and he quietly celebrated his small victory, "You may skip this afternoon's training session to recover from the trial. I expect you in top form tomorrow."

"Thank y-you, Otou-s-sama. I will d-do my best," her expression fell a little at the thought of training, "M-may I be e-excused?"

"You are dismissed, child," he told her.

She rose from her kneeling position, bowed low and left.

As soon as the door shut, Hiashi's face fell from calm neutrality into frustrated despair. His last hope for Hinata was her new Sensei. He hoped a strong female influence, like Kurenai, would inspire her. If not, he would settle for Hinata at least overcoming her inferiority complex.

XxXxXxX

He could smell the worry coming off of his sister from the door. It reminded him of the smoke from a campfire, and had he been less concerned with how to make things right, it might have puzzled him.

He had left his friends thirty minutes ago with assurances he would be at their team's first real meeting. He had spent about fifteen of that standing at his front door trying to find the right words to apologize to Ren for the cruel words they had exchanged.

He was unsure why she was so worried right now. Perhaps she was going through the same ordeal he was, or was just concerned that he had left without a word that morning.

Another five minutes crept by, and he could feel Yancha's impatience finally spill over. She darted through the flap in the door meowing loudly before Osamu could react.

It took a moment, but soon Ren's aura was approaching. The door opened suddenly, and the siblings looked at one another with none of the vitriol that had been tossed around the previous night.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ren finally asked. There was a note of hurt in her voice, but she was more concerned then anything. It clicked in Osamu's mind what she had been worrying over.

"I didn't know how," he admitted, looking down in guilt, "How do you just talk about... killing someone?"

She gathered him into a hug, and he knew then that she had forgiven him for the night before. It didn't stop him from saying what he felt he needed.

"I'm sorry, Nee-san," he whispered into her shoulder, "I shouldn't have said those things."

"No... you were right," she disagreed softly, "Harsh but right."

"What about Hiroto-sensei?" he asked her cautiously, "I know what you went through was terrible, but he isn't out to get us."

"I know," she sighed, "It isn't that easy to get rid of my mistrust, but I will try."

"Thank you, Nee-san," Osamu pulled away and smiled.

"Do you need to talk about your test?" she asked him seriously in response.

His smile faded, "Actually, there are things we need to discuss."

* * *

A/N: I swear I have a good reason for being late. That's a lie... I don't, but it doesn't matter all that much. About 2/3 through this chapter I realized I did not like the way it was shaping. I stepped away from it for a couple of days and came back to reread it. This is the result.

I want to explain ryo (the money used in Naruto) real quick. Narutopedia says 1 ryo = 10 Yen. For a better comparison (for those of us not used to Asian money), the exchange rate of Yen to USD is currently close to 90 Yen to 1 USD (~120 Yen = 1 Euro for my European readers). Round that off to 100 Yen to the Dollar and Hiroto spent roughly $1000.00 on gear ($100.00 per kit). Considering how much actually comes in one of those pouches and the fact that Shuji is a primo smith, that's actually pretty reasonable (Good throwing knives can be bought online for about $30 - $40 for a set of three. Those aren't meant to be expendable like kunai and shuriken, though).

EDIT: Keja-B was kind enough to point out an error I made. The rate of Ryo to Yen has been corrected from my original 10:1 ratio. I also adjusted the price that Hiroto paid in light of this down from 100,000. Thanks again to Keja-B and sorry for the error.

_Kononkyou_ (Soul Echo)  
Type: Kekkei Genkai (Chakra Based)  
Rank: Varies  
Effect: This strange bloodline allows the wielder to directly manipulate emotion with his/her chakra. This power comes at a price, however; the wielder's chakra is permanently imbalanced towards the spiritual. This prevents body enhancement, most ninjutsu, and certain chakra manipulation techniques (such as water walking).


	17. A Day for Mourning

Their first real day as a team found them waiting for their Sensei in an early morning drizzle. It didn't bother the boys as the Land of Fire remained fairly warm well into Fall, and Summer had just ended recently.

"Excellent," they heard behind them, making two of the friends jump and the other one smirk, "You're all here."

"So do we get to start missions now?" Hotaka asked eagerly after recovering from his shock.

"Not quite," Hiroto smiled, "I have some more tests for you."

They groaned in unison before he continued, "These have no bearing on your position. You have more than earned your place in the Corps and this team. I just want to see exactly where you stand in your training so I know what to teach you."

"That doesn't sound so bad..." Masaru commented warily.

"Don't worry," Hiroto's smile somehow went from warm to slightly sadistic, "It won't be."

XxXxXxX

Hiroto watched Osamu and Hotaka complete yet another lap around their training field. That made forty-eight laps, or twenty-four kilometers, total they had run. Masaru had dropped out ten laps ago, and was still leaning against a tree guzzling water from a canteen.

"Small sips, Masa-kun," he called to his largest student, "You'll throw up again if you gulp it down like that."

The exhausted teen made a grunting noise that Hiroto took for understanding. A few minutes later, huffing and puffing, the smaller boys came around the bend. Neither looked very happy to still be running, but only Hotaka had the dull look in his eye that indicated he was past his limit and running on pure willpower.

"That's enough, Hota-kun," Hiroto called out, "How many more can you manage, Osa-kun?"

"Three... maybe four," he panted as he ran past.

"Give me one more," Hiroto ordered.

Osamu nodded and disappeared onto the wooded trail that went around the field.

Hiroto went to make sure Hotaka wasn't drowning himself, but was lost in thought. It surprised him that Osamu had the most endurance of the three, considering his small stature and specialty, but it didn't surprise him that they had tossed him yet another curve ball.

The first expectation they had destroyed since starting his diagnostics two weeks ago was with anatomical knowledge. He hadn't dreamed that Hotaka would blow his friends out of the water after seeing his academic scores.

That had just been the tip of the proverbial iceberg of odd skills. Hotaka also proved to be the best at pure stealth, while Masaru had the best overall reflexes. Osamu had shown he could forge any handwriting he saw and, adjusting for size and weight, was stronger than both of his teammates.

Topping the list at useful abilities was Masaru's uncanny knack for lockpicking. He could open just about any lock with tools as wild as a coat-hanger and a butter knife. Why this hadn't appeared on his dossier, Hiroto had no clue, but it would serve the team well.

His thoughts were interrupted as Osamu came jogging in from his last lap. He came to a stop and bent over gasping for air.

"Alright, boys," Hiroto said brightly, "Two weeks of hell is over. We'll start doing missions and team exercises after the Day of Mourning. I'll also have some personal training regimens for you."

"Hate... you," was the only response he got. Probably from Masaru, but he couldn't quite tell from the toneless fatigue in the voice.

"Good! See you boys in a couple of days."

XxXxXxX

Ren stalked her target with all the grace and stealth of her feline partner. As an added measure, said feline was maintaining an obscuring genjutsu around them.

Volunteering to watch Hiroto for her clandestine organization had been an entirely selfish play. Her doubts were hard to shake, and this gave her a legitimate reason to spy on him to make sure he didn't try anything. What she had seen had been eye opening.

Hiroto had driven her brother and his friends into the dirt just to get a feel for their various skills. They had spent two full weeks of ten hour days doing it, and Ren was astounded by the jonin's breadth of knowledge and skill.

He was harsh in training, but also a good mentor. It hadn't taken long for each of the boys to come to their Sensei with the issues that had arisen from their first kills. He had managed to calm each of their fears over the course of about an hour apiece.

On top of all that, he had dodged or defeated no less than five attempts on his life since the rumors had been spread. Each assailant had frustratingly managed to off themselves once defeated despite Hiroto's efforts to keep them alive.

The image she had of the dastardly Kumo shinobi that had so ruthlessly killed off her kin and the one forming as she watched this plain man go about his business were not syncing up in the least. Some irrational part of her mind refused to believe what she was seeing was his true nature, but she was beginning to ignore it.

There was no attack that afternoon, and Hiroto made it back to his apartment unmolested save for a few dirty looks. She watched from a nearby roof as he and the young jinchuuriki he cared for went about preparing an early evening meal. It was a signal that her relief would be here soon.

Sure enough she felt another presence on the roof with her after a few minutes had passed. She turned and was surprised to see Inoichi himself. Her normal counterpart had been an older gentleman with kind brown eyes who looked as if he couldn't hurt a fly. They had never exchanged names.

"Inoichi-san... I didn't expect you," she voiced her thoughts, "Is there something wrong?"

He waved his hand dismissively, "My ladies are having a 'girls night'... whatever that means. I've essentially been exiled from the house."

Ren smirked at the thought. Every time she saw what was essentially her boss, he seemed to be in a situation that made him look nowhere near the dangerous shinobi he was.

"Well... not much to report today," Ren started her briefing, "A full day of his diagnostics, mostly endurance tests. No attacks today."

Inoichi frowned in thought, "I have a feeling the next attempt will be made soon, and with more than one assassin."

Ren nodded in agreement, "I'm worried they may try something while Osa-kun and the others are around."

"That would be extremely problematic," Inoichi said seriously, "I don't doubt ROOT would take advantage of them. Hiroto-san has shown he is more than willing to face death to save a comrade, and as noble as that is, it could easily be used against him."

She looked back at the window she had been using to spy on her brother's Sensei. Hiroto and Naruto were currently heaving wooden chopsticks at one another. It was a game they played, one of many, to determine who had to clean up after the meal.

They were laughing and having fun. Despite the lack of blood relations, they were at least as close as she and Osamu were. The fact that anyone would try to destroy that relationship caused her ire to rise. It was then she realized that she no longer had any misgivings about Hiroto. She still wanted answers, but Ren no longer suspected he was up to no good.

"Ren-san?" Inoichi's voice sounded as if he had said that more than once.

"We need to help him the next time they attack," she advised her superior.

"That would expose us to a certain degree," he countered without actually denying the possibility, "The gain would have to be great."

"ROOT wants Naruto-kun for something," she looked him dead in the eyes, challenging him to argue with her, "If they get him, nothing good can come of it. We need a live prisoner to interrogate."

Inoichi sighed in resignation, "You're right, of course. How do you suggest we proceed?"

Ren gave him a vicious, toothy grin. One that made her look far more feral than happy.

She had a splendid idea.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto glanced out the window just in time to see Ren, or more accurately the illusion that was covering her, disappear. If he ever got the chance, he would mention to her that Mikazuki was losing his touch. He payed for the distraction when a bombardment of chopsticks pegged him in multiple vital spots.

"HA!" Naruto cried in triumph, "That's three hundred points for me. You only have two fifty."

He just smiled and decided to let the kid have his moment, "Guess I gotta clean up."

He began to pick up the dishes from their early dinner. He had hoped to get to bed early. He still needed to prepare a few things for tomorrow, and he would need to get up early to get them done.

"Hey, Nii-san," Naruto's unusually timid voice broke through his thoughts, "Can you do something for my birthday?"

He turned from his task at the sink and raised an eyebrow, "I thought you didn't want anything this year..."

"I know I said that, but..." he paused as if trying to find the proper words. A strange thing for the normally hyperactive teen, "I want to release some lanterns tomorrow for the Day of Mourning."

Now both of Hiroto's brows were raised, "That might not be such a good idea. People don't see the difference between the beast and its container so well."

Naruto nodded in understanding, "I know that. I... I just want to see what people lost. I've been having some bad thoughts recently... since I found out. I've been so angry about the way people treated me."

"Are you hoping seeing the hurt that the Kyuubi brought to this village will help you cope?" the elder brother asked, "You have every right to be angry, you know?"

"I know," Naruto moved to sit heavily on their couch, " but Jiji always told me that just because people do bad things sometimes, doesn't mean they are bad. He said that there's always a story behind each act."

"That's some good wisdom," he told the boy.

"That's why I want to see the lanterns," he looked at Hiroto plaintively, "I want to know the stories. I want to know that the people here aren't bad, and I want them to know they're wrong about me."

Hiroto ran a calloused hand through his short hair and sighed, "It could be rough, Naruto. October tenth is probably the worst day for you to be out on the streets."

"I won't leave your side," Naruto offered pleadingly, "I swear."

He considered the boy long and hard. He saw the determination in his eyes; the raw desire to see his village in a positive way. He finally decided that, no matter the consequences, he couldn't say no to that.

"I'm going to enlist an ANBU detail," he explained, "If anyone tries to attack you, I want you to clone yourself a hundred times and scatter."

Naruto brightened when he realized his request was being granted. He jumped up and tackled his older brother in a hug, "Thanks, Nii-san. My surprise won't work if I'm not there."

Before Hiroto could respond, the boy was gone into his room.

"Wait..." he called after him, "What surprise?"

XxXxXxX

Osamu was nearly finished prepping the food when he heard his sister come into the house. He was just placing the last few dishes on the table when she entered the kitchen.

"Satisfied yet?" he was careful to keep any accusation out of his voice.

"You sensed me?" her eyes widened a bit, "I was almost three hundred meters away. You're getting more sensitive..."

He nodded, "I can see auras even when I'm suppressing my Sight now. If I let it through fully, I can sense them out to almost half a kilometer."

She gave a low whistle and sat down to eat, "That's impressive, but not unheard of for a good sensor."

"It's a headache," Osamu countered sourly, "Konoha has a lot of people. I sense all the emotions in my range at once."

"Sounds distracting..." she gave him a worried look, "How much chakra are you burning just to keep it down?"

"Not all that much," he placated her, "You still haven't answered my question."

She smirked at his ability to keep from being led in a conversation, "I'm not spying on him for personal reasons."

He didn't respond to her question in any way, but she could feel the disbelief coming off of him.

"Okay... they aren't _entirely _personal," she admitted, "And to answer your question: yes. I am now sure he is not going to do anything to purposely hurt you."

"Well that's a relief," he replied sarcastically. His voice grew more serious with his next question, though, "What about the man I... I killed? Did you consider what I told you?"

She nodded in response as she began to place various items on her plate, "I'm certain he was possessed, but I doubt it was a demon if you saw the change in his aura."

Her lack of reaction, either to comfort him or condemn what he'd done, seemed to be the right answer. His level of discomfort from bringing it up seemed to drop.

"You think it was a human spirit?" he began to place food on his own plate.

"That's all I can think of," she frowned sadly, "I wish Kaa-san were here to guide you. She knew so much about the human spirit."

Osamu sighed in resignation, "Guess we'll just have to fumble around blindly and hope for the best."

"It could have just been an isolated incident," Ren offered speculatively.

"Maybe," he didn't sound too sure, "He did mention a 'master.'"

His sister shrugged, "Until we know more, we can't do much."

He didn't seem to much like the sound of that, so she decided to change the subject.

"There's something you _can _do," he looked at her curiously, "I need help with something."

"Does this have to do with all that secret work you do for the Hokage?" Osamu asked with undisguised interest.

"Know about that, do you?" she was beginning to get used to her brother having more information than he should.

"I do now," he replied with a smile, and she cursed inwardly for falling for such an obvious ploy.

She was going to tell him a bit about it anyway, so she just continued, "I need you and the boys to do something for me."

XxXxXxX

Masaru marveled at the quiet of the village as he followed Ren's black feline through the fox district. Though only the six of them lived within the district, and few dared to live too close, one could always hear the bustle of activity in the distance. Now all he could hear as he meandered down the road were a few birds.

Masaru had been surprised to hear Zuki scratching at the door to his home carrying a message. It wasn't that he didn't do it often enough; Osamu regularly bribed the cat with salmon to get him to perform such tasks. It was the fact that it was coming on October tenth.

He honestly hated the Day of Mourning. A lot of kids like him had lost parents that day twelve years ago. A lot of them couldn't remember those they had lost, but unlike him, they had people there to spin stories of the ones now gone.

The identity of his own father was a secret, though. One that had been kept from him. He was honestly jealous of Hotaka, who had a number of people to give him perspective on the parent he'd lost. All Masaru knew about his father was that he was a genius of fuuinjutsu.

He arrived at the Sakibous' large house and followed Zuki's lead in jumping over the high fence to the back. The feline led him past the garden, where a couple of larger cats were sunning themselves, and to a stand of trees.

"Alright, Osamu," he made his way in, "What the hell is so important?"

In the center of the small copse stood both of his friends. He stopped short to see them out of their normal regalia.

Hotaka had done as their Sensei asked and traded in his gi for more suitable duty attire. His upper body was covered by a soft leather vest dyed a deep crimson. Underneath it was a black sleeveless shirt. The combination left his wiry arms free to move, and would make him harder to spot in darkness. His pants were in even darker shade of red than his vest and kept the loose style of his old gi to allow for full freedom of movement. He'd kept his hitai-ate tied around his waist.

Osamu was already wearing his finest clothes for the releasing of the lanterns later that evening. Masaru couldn't help but feel envious that Ren didn't force her brother to wear one of the ridiculously heavy formal kimonos he had to suffer through every year.

The outfit was more or less a finer design and material of his usual affair. The top was stiff collared and long sleeved, almost hiding his hands. The whole thing was black, with dark gray embroidered vines, save for the pure white collar and cuffs. The loose slacks were black as well, but lacked the decoration of the shirt. As always, Osamu went unshod with only plain white bandages around his feet. He'd left his leaf plate off for the day.

"Well don't you two just look great," he said sarcastically to cover up the feeling of being under-dressed, "Seriously, though... why are we here?"

Hotaka shrugged, "He wouldn't tell me anything till you got here."

Osamu was busying himself with a can of salmon to pay for Zuki's services. Yancha was laying nearby, licking the last vestiges of her own treat off her chops.

"Sensei's in trouble," he began without preamble after giving Zuki the can, "Someone is trying to kill him."

They both stared at their small friend for a moment. They might have laughed had his face not seemed so serious.

"Okay..." Hotaka found his voice first, "How do you know this?"

"Remember when I told you guys I thought Nee-san was a secret agent?" they grinned at the memories of 'stalking' Ren around at the age of seven to find proof, "Turns out that's not far from the truth."

"So she just happens to know Hiroto-sensei is in trouble?" Masaru shook his head, "Why tell us, though?"

"She asked for our help," Osamu explained seriously, "She thinks whoever is trying to kill him will use us in some way. She decided it would be best to use that."

"Fair enough," Hotaka leaned against a tree, "but what can we do?"

"Masaru..." amber eyes turned to look at him squarely, "Remember that trap you made a few years back. The one that caught Mizuki-sensei and left him plastered to the wall?"

"Oh yea!" Masaru smiled evilly and chuckled to himself, "I had just learned to make chakra binding seals. He was stuck there for an hour before someone found him."

"Could you make a grenade-like version of that?" Hotaka asked, catching on to Osamu's game.

"Sure... no problem," Masaru rubbed his hands together, "What's the plan, exactly?"

"Nee-san figures they'll try to take one or more of us hostage to keep Hiroto-sensei from fighting," Osamu explained, "If you get taken, just set off the device point-blank."

Masaru held up his hand, "Two problems. One: That will get you trapped with whoever has you. Two: Can you even muster enough chakra to set something like that off?"

"How much would it take?" his small friend asked.

"Bout as much as an explosive tag," he replied after a moment of thought.

Osamu nodded, "I can manage that, but I'll be tired as hell."

"What about the first issue?" Hotaka interjected.

"Won't matter as long as they are disabled too," the small boy dismissed the issue.

"So when do I need this stuff ready?" Masaru asked eagerly. He loved building new toys.

"By tonight," Osamu said seriously, "Nee-san thinks they'll try as early as tomorrow."

"No problem," the large teen replied.

Osamu nodded and moved to leave, "Good. I gotta go now."

"Where are you going?" Hotaka asked curiously.

"A certain friend hasn't been keeping in touch like I asked her to," came the reply, "Just gonna go check on her."

His friends exchanged smirks.

"Not a word!" Osamu's voice came drifting back from farther away, causing them to burst into laughter.

XxXxXxX

The inner garden of the Hyuuga compound was an oasis of color in an otherwise dreary and austere environment. Hinata loved it for that and for the fact that her mother had made it that way. She made her way down a meandering path towards the center. There a cherry tree had been growing since her parents had wed. It was showing the signs of Autumn as its leave changed from green to lovely yellows and reds. She couldn't wait until spring when it would be in bloom again. Beneath the tree was a carved stone. That was her destination.

"Hello, Kaa-san," she knelt in the grass. An act that would have soiled her formal kimono and earned her no end of scorn. She had come out here before changing into it for just that reason.

She might have continued to speak to her mother had a familiar trilling meow not caught her attention. She turned her head to see she hadn't hallucinated the sound. Nearby, Yancha's golden fur glistened in the afternoon sun as she trotted up to Hinata.

She stood with a confused look on her face, but that didn't stop the large feline from doing figure eights around her legs.

"Y-yancha?" Hinata called to the cat, who looked up at her, "What are y-you doing here?"

"She followed me," another familiar voice came from behind her.

Hinata turned in surprise, and found herself eye level with an upside-down Osamu. He was hanging from her mother's tree with his legs wrapped around a lower branch.

"Osa-kun?" her voice was slightly squeaky from surprise, making the boy smile, "H-how did you... When d-did you..."

"I snuck in about an hour ago," he answered both unfinished questions at once, "You would be surprised how easy it is to time the patrols around your compound."

"Hyuuga guards kill intruders on sight!" she cried, her worry causing her to slip out of her timid nature for a moment.

Osamu frown as he flipped down from his perch, "Guess its a good thing I wasn't seen, then."

"W-what are you doing here?" she asked. Her voice had grown quiet again to avoid drawing the attention of anyone inside the house.

"You haven't so much as written in two weeks," Osamu chided her, "I thought we were friends."

She groaned in frustration, "You r-risked your life for this?"

He gave a nonchalant shrug, "I would do anything for a friend."

Now she felt bad. She had assumed that Osamu had just been friendly at first to help cover for the embarrassing moment his cat had put her through. When it hadn't fallen off as time went on, she suspected he was just making a show of being nice for his then Sensei. Now she felt like she hadn't been very fair to him.

"I'm s-sorry," she muttered, "I'm a t-terrible person."

"Woah!" he waved his hands in front of himself, "I didn't mean that. I figured you were too busy, and decided to check on you because I had time today. I was just teasing."

She searched his face and body language and decided he was sincere. It was nice to know someone cared enough to come check on her.

"How did y-you know I would be here?" she asked curiously.

He pointed to the grave, "Its the Day of Mourning. I know where I would be in your place."

"S-so why aren't you?" she continued to ask questions. She knew for a fact if she didn't, he would. They always seemed innocuous at first, but he had a way of leading conversations into personal areas without her noticing.

"I never knew my parents," he said sadly. She had known that much. She found him unusually open about such topics, "I guess its hard to mourn the loss of something you've never had. I'd be there for Nee-san, but she likes to be alone on this day."

"I s-see," she couldn't imagine never knowing her mother.

"How's your team doing?" Osamu asked, and she cursed to herself. He'd managed to take over the conversation.

"Kiba-kun a-and Shino-kun have trouble w-working together," she smiled fondly at the silly arguments the boys got into. Kiba yelling, and Shino calmly tearing him down with logic, "We d-do well enough on our m-missions, though."

"We haven't even done one yet," he sighed, "Hiroto-sensei has been putting us through some rough tests to 'see where we stand.'"

"Hinata-sama!" she could hear one of her branch attendants bustling down the path, "Hinata-sama! You must prepare for the lanterns or you will be late."

She turned in the direction of her attendant in surprise, then back towards Osamu with a desperate look in her eye. If he was caught, they would both be in serious trouble. He was gone, though. The only sign of his presence was a rolled scroll with a piece of paper attached to it. Upon picking it up, she saw her name on the paper, and she read the short note there.

_Hinata_

_ If you are reading this, then we either didn't get to speak or I had to leave suddenly. Hope you are doing well. Feel free to write or visit me any time. Yancha bothers me about you (She likes it when you pet her). The scroll is for Hiashi-sama. It details the holes in his defenses I exploited to get in here._

_ Osamu_

She smiled to herself as she stuffed the scroll and note into her jackets large front pocket and moved to join her almost frantic retainer.

XxXxXxX

"Why do I have to wear this again?" Naruto had not ceased complaining about his black dress uniform for the past hour.

"Because it shows respect to those that have passed away," Hiroto patiently explained again. He was in his own black uniform.

He could hear the pair of ANBU the Hokage had assigned to protect Naruto sniggering as they followed from the rooftops. Cat and Tortoise were longtime babysitters of both pariahs. Hiroto felt much better for their presence since they were receiving quite a few dark glares from the people they passed.

They finally made it to the academy and climbed to the roof, where the Hokage would give his speech. As an active duty jonin, Hiroto was expected to stand vigil with his peers. Naruto was family to him legally speaking, and thus could stand with him. He smirked at the way that would cause a few gears to grind.

At the top he received a few curious looks and respectful nods. He exchanged greetings with both Tsume and Hiashi, who were having a quiet conversation. Nearby, Hana had her little brother in a headlock, and Hinata was blushing for some reason. She kept stealing glances their way.

The other council members were arrayed around the rooftop speaking amongst themselves or with various jonin. Soon the Hokage joined them as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Down below, the plaza in front of the academy and Hokage tower was packed with people. Nearby rooftops had been commandeered by those able to reach them.

Everyone silently took their places. The Hokage was out front with the council and their family members slightly behind him. Then came the jonin with any family they cared to bring.

The Hokage cleared his throat and the murmur from the gathered crowd fell away into silence.

"People of Konoha," his voice rang out clearly despite his age, "Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the Kyuubi no Kitsune's attack."

Naruto shuffled awkwardly next to Hiroto. He placed a supportive hand on the jinchuuriki's shoulder, and the teen seemed to calm.

"Not long after its defeat," their leader continued, "It was decided that October tenth be a Day of Mourning for those lost. Over the years it has come to be a day to remember those we have lost before, and since, that dark day. Many good people have given their lives in support of our village, and not just shinobi."

Here he took a moment to allow the crowd to absorb his words.

The Hokage took a deep breath and went on, "We lose those we love far too often. To fires and accidents. To murder and battle. To disease and injury. Today we have mourned apart, and tonight we mourn together."

An attendant approached the Hokage with a waist high floating lantern. It was three sided and decorated with both the leaf of Konoha and the symbol of the Hokage. On it were written three names; one on each side: Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, and Namikaze Minato.

The Hokage took the lantern and with a simple katon, lit the fuel ring at the bottom, "Remember, though, that their sacrifices are not in vain. It is when the night grows dark that the Will of Fire grows bright."

He released the lantern into the air with a gentle upward push. It began to float away from the rising heat. Soon, other lanterns began to join it as people released their own. Hiroto began to light his three small ones. One held the names of his parents, another the names of his first team, and the last was left blank for the Sakibou he'd helped kill.

Naruto had one of his own, the Kanji for mother and father written on opposite sides.

There wasn't a single person in Konoha that didn't mourn for someone, and soon thousands of the floating lanterns were in the air.

"One of our newest shinobi has asked to be allowed to make a gesture for the village," the Hokage said when most of the lanterns were in the air, "Naruto-kun?"

Hiroto looked down at his brother in surprise, as did many of the other jonin.

Naruto gave him a smile, then put his thumb and middle finger in his mouth to produce a shrill and loud whistle.

After a moment, nothing seemed to happen, but then someone from the plaza called out, "On top of the monument!"

Sure enough, a series of lights had appeared above the shadowed heads of their leaders. They began to float up, joining their kin in the sky. In their light, Hiroto could just make out the numerous clones lighting the lanterns.

"One for each person who died twelve years ago," Naruto said quietly.

The additional lanterns brightened the sky considerably, and a murmur could be heard throughout the crowd. Hiroto didn't doubt that Naruto's stunt had caused a serious bit of controversy.

"I've decided on my nindo, Nii-san," Naruto seemed to ignore the fact that they were surrounded by Konoha's elite and simply stared at the floating lights, "I will never go back on my word."

"That'll be tough," Hiroto warned him seriously. Many of the other jonin nodded in agreement.

"I know," Naruto replied without looking. After a long pause he continued, "My first promise is that I will always protect Konaha. No matter what."

Hiroto mussed the boys already messy hair, "You make me prouder everyday."

"Thanks, Nii-san."

* * *

Can't believe I almost forgot to upload this. Damn GW2 is making me stupid. This chapter is shorter than normal, but I've always been an advocate of keeping the padding out; a chapter is done when its done regardless of word count. Even so I have officially broken the 100k word mark on pure content. I didn't expect it to get that big, but here we are.

Next chapter we step away from the feels into some action again. Until next time.

Mikazuki  
Rank: Familiar (Cat)  
Gender: Male  
Birth Date: October 27  
Fur: Black  
Eyes: Green  
Length (Normal): 26" (50.8 cm)  
Length (Transformed): 7' 1" (216 cm)  
Weight (Normal): 12 lbs (5.4 kg)  
Weight (Transformed): 234 lbs (106.1 kg)  
Mikazuki us the combat familiar of Ren. He has the physical characteristics of a black leopard (panther). Thanks to his merged spirit, the Yuugure no Seirei, he is able to produce subtle, but powerful genjutsu. Should Ren allow him, he can grow to the size of a large leopard, increasing his combat abilities.


	18. A Good Show

A knock jarred Hinata awake suddenly. She looked around blearily for a moment and realized it was morning.

"Hinata-sama," it was one of her maids, "Your father wishes to see you in the council chamber."

"Th-the council ch-chamber!?" she squeaked in surprise.

"Yes, Hinata-sama," she could hear her maid shuffle off. Hinata had managed to impress upon them long ago that she didn't want help readying herself for the day.

She flew from her bed and into her personal bathroom. Luckily she hadn't done anything remotely strenuous the previous day, but her hair was still a mess from sleeping. She did her best to undo the tangles, and get it to sit right. Afterwords, she quickly donned her daily attire. She would be meeting with her team after this, and she wouldn't have time to change. She hoped her father could forgive her not wearing something more formal.

She rushed to the council chambers with as much dignity as she could manage, slowing down to a stately walk within the range of Hiashi's Byakugan. She entered somewhat timidly, unsure of what she should do. She should have been sitting in on these meetings regularly, but no one seemed to want her there.

The eyes of the eldest Hyuuga turned to her, and she could feel the weight of the collective judgment and impatience.

"Hinata," he father greeted coolly from his place at the front of the room, "Come sit."

She tried to ignore the white eyed stares of her kin as she made her way around the room to the cushion to her father's right. She knelt on it and readied herself for another bout of ' You aren't good enough.'

Hiashi pulled a scroll from the sleeve of his robes, "You left this in my office, did you not?"

"Y-yes, Otou-sama," she barely managed a whisper.

"This Sakibou Osamu claims to have penetrated our defenses rather easily," he cracked open the scroll and began to read a direct quote, "'You're patrols activate their kekkei-genkai at regular intervals, making it easy to time an intrusion.'"

"H-he meant n-no harm, Otou-sama..."

Her grandfather, a wrinkled but unbent man with silver hair, made an indignant noise, "He makes a mockery of us. Take this before the Hokage, Hiashi. Have the boy punished for trespassing."

Hinata's eyes grew wide. In the best case, Osamu would be harshly reprimanded. In the worst, he could be put to death.

"I do not believe I will, but I thank you for the suggestion," Hiashi sent a thinly veiled glare to his father, "The boy has done us a service. We should be paying him."

A murmur went through the council room, "Surely you don't think his actions are worthy of praise?" an old crone asked.

"Perhaps not," Hiashi allowed, but his voice grew colder as he continued, "But he has detailed exactly how he infiltrated our compound. I had thought many of these problems had been dealt with after the last intrusion. Last time was a highly trained jonin. This was a mere _boy._"

Many of the councilors shifted uncomfortably. They had taken clan security over years ago, while Hiashi was distraught over the loss of his wife.

"Which of you controls the clan security force?" Hiashi asked.

"I do, Hiashi-sama," one of the younger members, still older than Hiashi by a few decades, answered.

"You are relieved of your duty," the leader replied, ignoring the old man's sputtering, "Ko-san will be taking over for you."

"He is a branch member!" Hiashi's father cried, "You cannot give him such authority!"

"I can, and I will," Hiashi's voice never faltered, and never raised in volume, "Ko-san is an expert in both personal and property security. I can think of no Hyuuga, branch or main family, better for the job."

"This still needs a vote," his father countered slyly.

"That," said Hiashi with a tiny smirk, "Is not true. Clan law dictates that I am wholly responsible and culpable for the safety of this compound. As such, I should have absolute authority over it. I thank you for handling it during my grief."

The silence in the room was stunning to Hinata. She feared and respected her father for things like this.

"If there is nothing else..." Hiashi stood, and on reaction, Hinata followed suit, "Come, Hinata."

She followed him from the council chamber, rushing slightly to keep up with his longer strides.

"Did you understand what I did there, Hinata?" he asked without looking.

"I-I think s-so, Otou-sama," she stuttered out nervously. She hated this particular trial, "I-if the clan l-laws say all th-that, though, w-why d-did you wait t-till now?"

He pulled up short and gave her an appraising look, "Why do you think?"

She pondered the question long enough for him to start walking again. She followed him into his office and knelt on the floor across from him.

"Tell me of this... friend," he commanded.

She had been afraid of this, "H-he was in m-my class. His c-cat stole m-my bento."

Hiashi's eyebrow slowly raised up, "His cat... stole your lunch?"

"E-every Sakibou has a c-companion... like t-the Inuzuka," she replied. Hinata was having a hell of a time trying not to wring her wrists, "Y-yancha is p-playful, but s-sweet."

"What is your exact relationship with him?" his tone went from its normal neutral to a darker, more menacing tenor.

"W-what?" Hinata was thoroughly confused by the question.

"I would hate to find out my daughter is allowing boys to court her at such a young age without my permission..." the menacing tone remained.

"Wha... NO!" she nearly shouted, "Osa-kun is j-just a f-friend."

"Good," Hiashi's voice was back to normal, "Please extend my thanks to him for his insight, and a warning not to try it again."

She frowned sadly, "I w-will tell h-him not to c-come again."

"Hmm," Hiashi's brows went up when he realized the meaning she had taken from his words, "He is welcome, so long as he uses the front gate... and understands the limitations of friendship."

Hinata blushed deeply at the implications of his words, "Yes, Otou-sama."

"You may go," he dismissed with a wave.

Hinata jumped up and rushed out.

Hiashi let out a shuddering breath after she had gone. It was nerve wracking to see how afraid she was of him.

As he often did when alone, he took up the small framed picture of his late wife that sat facing him on his desk. It made his heart ache to see the big happy smile in that photo and know it would never bloom on that face again. Hinata was growing to look more and more like her mother every day, but he had yet to see her smile like this.

"I don't know what to do for her," he confessed to the photo, "He has raised her the same way he raised me, and I often wonder looking at her: am I strong and she weak... or the other way around?"

"She is insecure, mistrustful, and fearful," he closed his eyes, pained by the weight of his guilt, "Otou-sama took my only friend when he branded Hizashi. If I am not watchful, he will end up destroying her friendship as well."

"I have failed her up to now," he whispered sadly, "Failed both our daughters. I have let my grief and indecision paralyze me. I am sorry, my love. I am so sorry."

XxXxXxX

"Charge it like a paper bomb," Masaru explained as he handed each of his teammates a pair of balls that looked like compressed papeir mache, "Impact causes it to detonate."

"What happens when it detonates?" Hotaka asked, looking closely at the thin lines forming the seals that made it work.

"Instant mummy," Masaru replied with a chuckle, "There are enough chakra seal tags in that ball to cover a gorilla three times."

"How..." Osamu began to ask, but stopped himself when he saw the grin on Masaru's face, "Never mind."

"Sorry I'm late, boys," Hiroto leapt down into the clearing, "Had to explain why it was a bad idea to trap our door with explosive tags to Naruto."

They stared at him dumbfounded so he felt the need to explain further, "We get a lot of break-ins."

They continued to stare so he decided to change the subject, "Let's go get our first mission, damn jonin commander's been crawling up my ass cause we haven't done one yet."

They made their way to receive their first official mission, and upon entering, were greeted by the Hokage himself.

"Team Five finally decides to grace the mission office with their presence," the old man commented lightly, earning a few chuckles from the chunin manning the mission desks.

"If you don't like my command style, Hokage-sama, I'll gladly go back to solo missions," Hiroto countered with a smirk.

"Glad you're here," the old man ignored the offer and rifled through a stack of mission scrolls. He tossed one to the jonin, "Tsume-san has been pestering me non-stop about getting you for your first D-rank."

Hiroto cracked open the scroll and looked it over, "Why?"

"Something about popping a cherry," the Hokage shrugged, "I don't always understand her colorful language."

Hiroto shook his head in disgust, "Let's go, team."

The boys followed him out, but Hotaka seemed distracted.

"Sensei..." he finally ventured, "What did he mean by 'popping a cherry?'"

Hiroto nearly tripped over himself, but his surprise was only heightened by Masaru's response.

"Mayu-obaa-san hasn't given you that talk yet?" the large boy asked, "You see, that's another way of saying..."

Osamu kicked him in the shin,"Not in public you idiot! People will think we're perverts."

XxXxXxX

Tsume was drawn from her morning exercise with Kuromaru by the loud barking of every unoccupied dog on their small compound. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and went to see what the commotion was about.

"Oi!" she yelled, coming around her house, "The fuck is going on?"

She got a good view of Team Five right before her shithead of a son released the untrained hounds from their kennel.

"Hey, you little shit-stain!" she yelled at him.

He gave her a big grin, then bolted, "Gotta go meet my team."

A wave of some thirty odd dogs were headed for the team that was supposed to take them for their daily exercise. She knew for a fact that they wouldn't purposely hurt the boys, but that many large dogs might as well have been a stampede. To her immense surprise, she saw the smallest member of the team fly through a set of hand seals at a speed that would shame a good portion of the chunin in Konaha. When he was done, all the dogs stopped, laid down and rolled over in a display of submission.

"I'll be damned..." she breathed out.

"His chakra smells funny," Kuromaru commented next to her.

"Funny how?" she asked the large wolf hound curiously.

The dogs remaining ear flicked in an approximation of a canine shrug, "Akimaru has a better nose for chakra. Ask him before you kill your pup tonight."

She chuckled as she approached Team Five.

"Stripes," she called out when she got closer, "Reconsider my offer yet?"

Hiroto was currently rubbing the belly of a shaggy behemoth of a dog, "Still a no, She-wolf. I would rather not put you through that political nightmare."

"Bah," she waved her hand dismissively, "There isn't an Inuzuka that wouldn't lay down their life for you. You're a pack-mate whether you like it or not."

She dropped the subject there and looked around at her dogs a bit mystified. The thin boy was playfully wrestling with a bull mastiff while the big teen was surrounded by curious snouts.

She looked at the smallest member of the team. He was currently surrounded by a group of dogs like they were guarding him. A large golden cat with mismatched gold and green eyes was sitting on one of their heads.

"The hell did you do, pup?" she asked him gruffly then took a closer look at his feline, "Or should I call you cub?"

"I just calmed them down," he shrugged nonchalantly, "I might have also given them the impression that they should fear me a little."

"You'll have to teach me how to do that," she laughed out, "Anything that can keep this lot in line would be helpful. I'm Inuzuka Tsume. You can go ahead and dispense with whatever formalities you were thinking of using with me."

"This is my team, Tsume," Hiroto pointed to each of his students in turn, "The little one is Sakibou Osamu, The bundle of sticks is Shoudou Hotaka, and the big one is Hibaku Masaru."

She gave a low whistle, "I suppose the old man is trying to rectify his mistake in not putting the 'Faceless Death' and 'Three Storms' together so many years ago."

"'Three Storms?'" Hotaka asked from where he was buried under the panting mastiff.

"That's what they called Mayu back in the day," Tsume explained, "One of the few people able to manipulate three different elements from our generation. She learned to use lightning, water, and wind. Hence 'Three Storms.'"

"Cool," the boys chorused together.

"Wonder why she doesn't talk about that kind of stuff," Hotaka mused.

"She earned it on the battlefield," Tsume replied seriously, "Not many talk about that kind of stuff."

"Anyway," she clapped her hands to dispel the suddenly somber atmosphere, "Seems you have good control over the hounds. They need exercise and my clan ain't big enough to handle 'em all. Run 'em around, play with 'em, don't really care. Just wear their asses out."

"Can do," Hiroto assured her. He turned to his team and barked out, "You heard the lady! Get to work!"

XxXxXxX

Tsume entered her house to find her daughter finishing her morning meal. Late shifts at the vet kept her on an odd schedule.

"What was that about?" Hana inquired, turning unusually, for her clan, round eyes to her mother.

"I want you to tan Kiba's hide the next time you see him," Tsume ordered.

"He let the dogs out on another team, didn't he?" she asked in exasperation, "It's no wonder everyone thinks our clan is a bunch of wild animals."

"Released 'em on Stripes' team, too," she smirked when she saw her normally controlled daughter grow excited, "He said no again."

Hana pouted, "Why are all the good ones so difficult."

"Man saves your life once, and you go all starry eyed," Tsume mocked her, "You'll make people think you're easy."

"It may have been once, but he was disemboweled for it," Hana countered, annoyed, "I had to push his intestines back in so I could heal him. They don't come like that often."

"How romantic..." Tsume deadpanned, earning a raspberry from her daughter, "I'm more interested in the Sakibou boy at the moment."

"The kid Kiba kept talking about?" Hana queried, "He kept saying there was something weird about him."

"He was right," Tsume confirmed, "Cub calmed and asserted dominance over thirty dogs with one technique."

"What technique?"

"No clue," Tsume shrugged, "Couldn't see the hand seals, and it had no visual, auditory, or olfactory effects."

"Genjutsu?" Hana offered and asked at the same time.

"Could be," Tsume hedged. After a moment of consideration she came back with, "Remember the story bout your namesake?"

"You don't think..." Hana began to ask, "That happened over three hundred years ago."

Tsume shrugged again, "He's got a cat familiar, was able to instantly calm the hounds with an unknown technique, and he carries the same name as Hana's Regret."

"So what do we do?" Hana asked a little nervously. That story had not ended on a happy note.

"He has an older sibling if Kiba isn't the dolt he acts like," the elder Inuzuka mused, "She would be the one to approach, but let's just sit back for now. We've waited all these generations to remove that stain from the clan's honor. No sense in rushing now."

XxXxXxX

Team Five made their way back to their usual training ground tired and sore. The dogs, despite being quite obedient to Osamu, were still excitable and energetic. It had taken them most of the day to wear them down.

During their trek back to Training Ground Eighteen, Hotaka had inevitably brought up his question again. This had led Masaru to explain everything his own unashamed mother had told him.

"But then why is it called a cherry?" Hotaka asked in exasperation, "I've seen diagrams, and it doesn't look much like a fruit..."

"Are we really having this conversation right now?" Hiroto asked despondently.

"Welcome to everyday life in our group," Masaru laughed aloud.

"This is normal?" Hiroto looked back at him in despair.

"You should have heard the conversation where we convinced Osamu to go to the kunoichi special training," Hotaka grinned at the small boy.

"You _what?" _Hiroto was growing more and more resentful towards his leader for giving him these crackpots.

"They got my curiosity going," Osamu explained nonchalantly, "I used some of Nee-san's old clothes and genjutsu to disguise myself."

"What did they talk about?" Hiroto couldn't help but ask.

"I do not care to discuss the experience," Osamu shuddered a little, "I'll just say that girls are grosser than they make themselves out to be."

"I still can't get over the fact that you dressed like a girl," Masaru poked him in the shoulder.

"Hey... You never know what a mission will call for," Osamu defended himself indignantly, "Being able to mimic anyone is very important to my skill set."

Hiroto smiled and shook his head. He really wished Naruto hadn't been so wary of befriending these three. He would have fit right in. He stopped and turned his team, about to launch into a discussion about chakra control, but a serious frown on Osamu's face stopped him.

"Three, no... four unknowns headed our way at high speed," he said to no one in particular.

Hiroto cursed under his breath and called out his shields. He noticed each of his students followed his lead and drew kunai. He saw all three palm a small ball in their off hands. They turned their back to one another, forming a triangle.

The blazing speed of their assailants was leagues beyond what Hiroto had been dealing with recently. He estimated each was at jonin level in at least combat. It seemed whoever was out for him was tired of playing games.

He saw a weighted chain shoot out of the brush nearby, and he tried to yell a warning. He wasn't quick enough. Hotaka looked down just in time to see the thin chain wrap around his ankles. He was tugged from the group into the brush.

Another of the attackers used a shunshin to get in behind Osamu. Another shunshin and he was gone with the small teen as a hostage.

Hiroto was about to try and get his last student out of there when he was suddenly subjected to a flurry of measured blows by a man in a snake mask. He saw a struggling Masaru being dragged off by another man in a wolf mask.

"What the hell do you want?" Hiroto growled as he blocked kicks and punches on his shields with dull pinging noises.

"You'll see," Snake said just loud enough to be heard over their melee.

A series of popping noises were heard from the bushes followed by cursing. Hiroto managed to glimpse one of the attackers, a woman in a dragon mask, stumble out of the brush wrapped in a mass of paper tags.

The next few moments carried a lot of confusing action for him.

The first thing he noticed was Snake letting up his assault. He might have pressed the advantage, but the sudden appearance of his weapon smith, Shuji, put him off balance.

The large man went for the wrapped up woman, only for her image to waver and show that it was actually Hotaka.

"Shit," was all Shuji managed to say before a paper ball hit him in the chest. A burst of smoke and paper with a popping sound, and he was wrapped in chakra sealing tags. Dragon lifted the larger man easily and leapt away.

From the trees to his right, he heard, "Let him go you bastard!"

He blanched. That was Ren's voice. He knew she was watching him, but she had always stayed out of his fights. He should have known she would get involved as soon as her brother was in danger.

Another popping noise, and a moment later Wolf came into view with a wrapped up woman over his shoulder, "Snake. Mission accomplished."

Snake disengaged from Hiroto, gave him a mock salute and shunshined away. Wolf soon followed suit.

Hiroto wanted nothing more than to chase after them, but he had a responsibility to his team first and foremost.

He ran over to Hotaka, and found him unhurt. He quickly released the tags sealing away his chakra, and went to find his other students in the brush. Masaru was unconscious with a welt growing near his temple, and Osamu was trussed like a pig with a look caught between outrage and horror.

"They took Nee-san!" he cried out as Hiroto used the sharp edges of his shield tips to slice the teens bindings, "They took Ren."

"I know, Osa-kun," Hiroto ground out as he finished and went to see if Masaru was more hurt than he looked.

"Why aren't you going after them!?" Osamu's was growing a bit hysterical.

Hiroto looked at his student sternly, "Because the three of you are my first priority."

"But they..."

"I KNOW, OSAMU!" he shouted at the desperate teen, "I know."

"You should try to calm down," both of them looked back to see Masaru beginning to sit up holding his head, "I'm pretty sure that went according to some plan Ren-nee-san had. Woulda been nice if it hadn't involved this lump on my head."

"What?" Osamu and Hiroto asked together.

XxXxXxX

Shuji woke up in a dark room. He found himself unable to move, and could barely feel his chakra.

"I wouldn't bother trying," a woman's voice came out of the darkness from nearby, "Masa-kun is remarkably talented with sealing. You won't be getting out of those without help."

"Natsu's boy made these?" he asked. He winced at the weakness of his own voice.

"You know her?" the woman replied with her own question.

"You could say we're business partners," he replied. His vision was clearing some. He could just make out his fellow prisoner against a wall across what was apparently a small room.

"Is there any reason why you are currently here with me?" she asked.

"I was asked by a fellow acquaintance to look out for you," he confessed a bit sheepishly, "Looks like that's a bust."

He heard her sigh and she shifted laboriously into a position that faced him directly. Her eyes caught what little light there was and reflected it back at him. He was struck by the impression of a predator waiting for prey.

"I told the fool I could handle this alone," she seemed annoyed, "There was no need to compromise anyone else."

"I don't think our identities being known is the biggest worry we have right now," he replied severely.

"Right you are," the sound of a door opening and then closing followed the slightly muffled words. The voice came clearer after that, "Sakibou Ren the exorcist and Shuji the smith... what an odd duo."

The glowing eyes of his fellow prisoner turned to regard their captor.

"Don't bother, Ren-san," he said to her, "I am still wearing my mask. I am well aware of your excellent night-vision."

"What do you want?" she took the lead for them, and he let her. Inoichi had told him she was an specialist in these matters.

"Well that should be obvious," the man responded, "Names of your fellows. We know there are more... much more."

"What makes you think we know?" she countered calmly, "The two of us are members of the same cell, and we just met."

"Well that's troubling..." their interrogator mused to himself, "I suppose I'll have to do with your cell leader then. You most certainly know who that is."

"Even if we did," Shuji interrupted, "We wouldn't tell you."

A sigh sounded from their captor, "I was afraid you would say that. Now I have to go through the unsavory task of torturing you."

"Allow me to save you the trouble," Ren said icily.

To his great surprise, the woman burst the seal tags holding as if they were, well... paper. She moved with amazing speed and grace as she kipped up off the floor and snap kicked the other silhouette in the room. Judging by the whimper of pain, she had nailed him right in his genitals.

She grabbed him by the throat and choke slammed him to the floor. She then whipped out something Shuji couldn't quite see. When she threw it, it burst into smoke and paper, and the captor was suddenly the captive.

She came closer to Shuji, and he got a closer look at her sharp, almost feral, features as she deactivated the seals on him.

"Sorry I waited so long," she told him with a tight smile, "Wanted to get a feel for his demeanor before I captured him."

Shuji felt his chakra returning to him, "Why would you trust me like this? You don't know who I am?"

She smiled again, "Our boss wanted to send someone. When I was offered Konoha's foremost weapon master, I couldn't turn that down."

Shuji gave a chuckle, "You are good at this."

"We don't have much time," she pulled out a kunai and sat on her captives chest, "Okay asshole. What's the deal? Who told you about us?"

"We received an anonymous tip from someone," he sounded just shy of desperate, which set off red flags in Shuji's mind as he cleaned the last of the seal tags off of himself.

"When?" she held the kunai tip above the eye-hole of the mask.

"About six months ago," he replied, his voice cracking a little, "We don't know who from, but we're looking into it."

"Why?" she was nothing if not succinct in her questions.

"The note said we were serving the writer's purposes," as soon as he was done, Ren knocked him out with a backhand blow.

"Let's get out of here," she said to Shuji. He nodded his agreement, keeping his thoughts for later.

They went to the door. Shuji reached for the handle in the off chance that it was left unlocked and found it to be so. The hallway they exited into wasn't any better lit than their cell.

"Which way?" he asked, looking from left to right, completely at a loss.

Ren didn't answer, but whistled instead. Moments later a meow sounded nearby.

"Lead us out, Zuki," she told the unseen cat.

"Would have been nice to be clued in on the plan," Shuji complained lightly, "Starting to think my combat expertise isn't needed, though. This place is dead."

"Zuki agrees with you," she said pensively, "He hasn't seen a soul down here but our friend."

"What does it mean?" he asked as they followed the seemingly endless dark corridor, "That guy didn't act like a ROOT operative."

"I got that vibe, too," she agreed with him, "I don't have much experience with them, though."

"What's the game, then, spy-girl?" he asked jokingly.

"I think they're sending a message," she replied honestly, "They want us to know they know about us."

"That holds no tactical value," Shuji countered, more to keep her talking than to disagree with her.

"Not against us, maybe," she replied as they finally came to a staircase, "There is still a third unknown quantity."

"The anonymous tip-off?" Shuji asked incredulously, "Surely you didn't take anything that man said as truth."

The stairs switched back and forth multiple times, and every step up gave Shuji a bit more light to see by.

"Not really," she confirmed, "But they did get their info from somewhere. I think ROOT is trying to tell us something in a roundabout way."

"But what?" they came up into an abandoned warehouse. Many of the windows were busted, giving them an easy egress. They stopped before exiting, though, to adjust their eyes to the brighter light.

"He said ROOT was serving this person's interests," she explained, "They want to know who is trying to manipulate them, and they want us to know that there's another player on the board. Remember, dirty as they are, their still for Konoha."

Shuji just shook his head, "How do you espionage types come up with this shit?"

"The same way you combat types kill a man before he can move. We train for it," she told him with another of her odd, closed-mouth smiles, "Let's go see the Hokage. No need to hide our affiliation anymore."

XxXxXxX

"Two of my Watcher's compromised for this?" the Hokage asked quietly as he puffed on his pipe. He sunk a bit lower into his chair, looking from Shuji to Ren.

The weapon smith shrugged, "I was just following orders."

"Tell me again how this plan came together," the Hokage ordered, "Every detail, Ren-san. I don't want anything left out."

She nodded, "It started a few days ago..."

XxXxXxX

Ren stalked through the dark house as quietly as the cat that followed her. Zuki had been using his illusions nonstop since they left their home an hour ago, and she hoped he would have enough energy to get them back undetected. She came to a bedroom door and slid it open. She cursed silently when she saw Ino and not the girls father sleeping in the room.

A few doors later, she found who she was looking for. She sent Zuki in to wake the man. It was likely the presence of a person would elicit violence from him. Zuki hopped onto his chest, and he awoke immediately. He looked confused at the black cat purring on him, and then past him to Ren. She motioned for him to follow her.

Inoichi pushed Zuki off himself and began to rise.

The body next to him shifted, and his wife asked in a bleary voice, "Where are you going, honey?"

"Need to empty my bladder," he replied with a dangerous look at Ren, who was laughing silently to herself.

"Shouldn't drink so much with your friends," his wife reprimanded sleepily. She rolled over and fell back into full sleep.

Inoichi grabbed Ren by the arm and dragged her to a nearby study where he began to work multiple privacy jutsu.

When he was done he turned to Ren and his annoyance boiled over, "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"You look good for an older man," she quipped.

Inoichi looked down and suddenly remembered that he slept in nothing but boxers, "I really hope this is business related, Ren-san. I would hate to see Osamu-kun bury you... and I'm not that old."

She looked like she was about to continue the banter, but his glare stopped her, "Business?"

"ROOT isn't after Naruto-kun," she claimed without any preamble.

"What?" he was stopped dead by her proclamation.

"If what you told me about ROOT is true," she leaned against the wall, "Then Hiroto-san should be dead right now."

Inoichi crossed his arms, "Go on."

"The attacks against Hiroto-san have been... clumsy so far," she continued, "I think ROOT is trying to draw us out."

"All of our intel suggests they are unaware of us," Inoichi countered.

"Then the status quo has changed," she answered easily, "Think about it, Inoichi-san. Hiroto-san is undeniably skilled, and they have only ever sent one attacker at a time. He even avoided one fight entirely when he was running late to start dinner."

"You make a valid point," Inoichi allowed, "But looked at from that angle, it seems a rather clumsy attempt to bait us."

Ren smiled, "I thought so, too. That's when I considered that they aren't even trying to do that."

"Then what _is_ their game?" Inoichi asked, exasperated.

"They are putting on a show for someone else," she said smugly, "All the while trying to initiate contact with us without letting on that they want to tell us something."

"You got all this from seeing a few botched assassination attempts?" he eyed her speculatively.

She grinned sheepishly. An act that was actually more scary than endearing, "Actually, I had my oni follow the one that Hiroto didn't confront back to his base."

Inoichi put his face in his palms, "You sent those monsters as spies?"

"No one can see them," she replied defensively, "They can't see our realm all that well, but they can hear well enough."

"How did they follow him if they can't see him?" Inoichi asked.

"They followed the scent of his soul," she answered as if it should have been obvious.

"What did they find out?" he finally gave in.

"That there has been a much better team of shinobi watching and waiting to capture any unusual people attempting to help Hiroto-san," there was a glint of triumph in her yellow-green eyes, "The phrase 'the message has yet to be delivered' was also used."

"So you think we should initiate contact then?" he had to admit; this was getting rather interesting.

"Yes," she confirmed, "But we need to play our part."

"So you want to give them their prisoner," he stated, "But who?"

"Me," she said immediately, "We both have the skills to do this, but you are a leader."

He pondered the idea for a few moments, "I don't want to send you alone. I'm going to provide you with combat back-up in case you're wrong."

"Who?" she asked curiously.

"The greatest weapon master in Konoha," he replied with a grin, "He's been asking to be relieved of his duty for a while anyway. This gives him an out while serving a purpose."

"What do you mean?" she sounded confused.

"After this, your identities as watchers will be compromised," he explained, "You will no longer be able to perform your duties properly."

"Oh..." she said dejectedly, "I didn't think about that."

"Still want to do it?"

"Yes," she said with conviction, "I'm sure I'm right about this. Someone or something has ROOT worried enough to ask for help. That can't be good for the village."

"Alright," he gave her a nod of respect, "Then let's put on a show."

"First we'll need to have a talk out in the open," she began to detail her plan, "Zuki can cover your identity, but allow our conversation to be heard."

An hour later they had the details hammered out, and Ren left the way she had come: silently and invisibly.

XxXxXxX

A few days later she was waiting for Inoichi to show up. She looked at Zuki worriedly. His genjutsu was almost as good as any human master, and he could produce it without any of the hand seals most shinobi required, but she was still apprehensive that he wouldn't be able to exercise such fine control as to distort voices without compromising their meaning. She felt a spike of annoyance come from the sable feline in response to her worry.

Inoichi showed before she could start a one sided argument with her cat. They went through their preliminary lines with no trouble. The excuses as to why her cell leader would relieve her. A discussion about what they 'thought' ROOT would do next. Then came the important stuff.

"What is this plan?" Inoichi asked with curiosity so well feigned she couldn't tell even though she knew it was fake.

"If they are going to use my boys as hostages, they will have bigger problems than they realize," she said viciously.

"They're only genin," he dismissed the notion.

"Natsumi-san stopped a five hundred man invasion force with only a team of twelve," Ren countered, "Forewarning is a powerful weapon, and those boys are resourceful as hell."

"Valid points, I suppose," he allowed, "They could get hurt, though."

"That's not actually likely," Ren shot him down again, "If anyone of them got hurt, Natsumi-san would go on a warpath. She has the funds and other resources to dig up ROOT."

Inoichi gave her an incredulous look in response to the pun. She almost laughed and ruined the show.

"Wouldn't Hiroto-san know that?" the older man asked.

"Maybe," she agreed, "But he can't take that risk. His primary responsibility is to that team. If they got hurt, Natsumi-san would target him first."

"Alright," Inoichi finally relented, "Warning them can't hurt anyway. Let's see what they cook up."

XxXxXxX

Despite the fact that she actual believed them to be as resourceful as she made them out to be, Ren was still surprised at what they did come up with. She would need to hear more details about that prank.

Still, a grenade that totally disabled what it hit would be a great tool. She figured that by now ROOT had eyes on her and those around her. She needed to be sure that whatever Masaru did cook up in that twisted mind of his, that it wouldn't affect her.

That night she again made use of Zuki's phenomenal illusions to visit the large genin.

"Masa-kun!" she said suddenly from behind him. The way he jumped made his knees bang against his writing desk, and she smiled. It was good to get him back a little for the headaches he had caused as a little kid. 'Practice seals' all over her living room walls came to mind.

"Kami, woman!" he said, holding his hand to his chest and incidentally getting ink all over his shirt from the brush that was still in it, "What the hell, Ren-nee-san?"

"I need you to do something," she whispered to him conspiratorially, "It's really important."

"Is this about your spy stuff?" he asked, eagerness suddenly shining behind his eyes. The young ones were always suckers for this kind of stuff.

"Sure is," she confirmed, "I need those things you're making to not work on me. Can you do that?"

He looked confused by the request but nodded, "Sure. I just need a bit of your blood."

She gladly pricked her thumb with a kunai and allowed a drop to fall in the ink pot he held out to her.

"So... why do you need this?" he asked.

"Can't say," she denied him, "Gotta go."

With that, Zuki had them cloaked again, and they were gone.

XxXxXxX

The Hokage and Shuji were staring at her with expressions of mild disbelief.

"You have _oni_?" the smith asked with bit of disgust, "Last time I saw one of those it was trying to kill me."

"Battle is what they do," Ren sounded a bit defensive.

"Later, Shuji," the Hokage shut him up before he could comment further, "Well... I'm thoroughly impressed, Ren-san."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," she smiled happily at the praise. She hadn't gotten too much of that as a Watcher, "I'm just sorry I won't be able to continue in my duties."

"That is a shame," the Hokage agreed, gnawing on the stem of his pipe, "You could always activate as a full shinobi. I could definitely justify starting you as a chunin."

Ren hadn't considered that. She was technically an inactive Konoha shinobi.

"Maybe in a year or two, Hokage-sama," she finally told him, "I want to make sure Osa-kun has a stable home to come back to after missions until he grows accustomed."

Sarutobi nodded his understanding, "I'll be paying each of you for a B-rank mission for this. It should go without saying, but treat this information as a class-S secret. Dismissed."

They nodded in understanding and stood to leave. After they were out of the doors to their leaders office, Ren was full body tackled by her brother. They tumbled to the floor.

"I was so worried," he sobbed into her belly while his deceptively strong arms crushed her about the waste.

"Can't... breath," she gasped out. When he loosened his grip enough for her to respirate, she hugged him back, "I'm sorry, Osa-kun. I'll try to never do that to you again."

Shuji spotted his daughter waiting with the rest of Team Five, "No hug for your old man?"

"Hug!" she nearly screeched, "How about a naginata to the head!?"

She stalked towards him angrily. When she reached him, she jabbed him in the sternum with her index finger, "Gone to get some supplies! Not back for hours! A message from ANBU that you'd been KIDNAPPED!" every sentence was punctuated with another jab of her index finger.

"Uh..." Shuji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry."

"I'll show you sorry," she grabbed his wrist and dragged him off.

As she passed Team Five, she smiled at them and said sweetly, "Nice to meet you boys. Come by the shop some time. Hiroto-san knows the way."

"Hey, you can't just invite whoev..." Shuji started to protest.

"Shut-up, Tou-san," she snapped at him, and to everyone's amusement, he did.

"So..." Hiroto said after a few moments of awkward silence as Osamu dried his tears, "Who want's ramen? I'm buying."

* * *

Whew... I had a completely different chapter planned and written. One I was happy with. Then I got this wild hair up my ass, and I wrote this to replace it in the past thirteen hours. Hopefully the quality checks out. My reviewers continue to help me write. This time, Freedsama asked me some open ended questions about Hinata and her father I hadn't thought much about yet. Always good to get a fresh perspective.

Cocoon Grenade  
Type: Gadget (Seal/Subduing)  
Abilities: This ball looks like it is formed from papeir mache. When activated with chakra and thrown at a target, it pops open and wraps the victim in numerous chakra sealing tags. A direct hit near the torso is necessary to achieve full entrapment.


	19. Transition Part 1: Into Light

So chapter 18 got pretty long pretty fast. It's over 12k words, so I decided to split it up into more managable chunks. It's still one chapter, but you'll be getting it over the course of the weekend. Part 1 is now obviously. Part 2 will be later this evening, and Part 3 will com tomorrow.

* * *

"I don't get it," Masaru was glaring at the brown cat clinched in his arms, "I thought all cats liked you, Osamu."

A month had gone by since the kidnapping debacle, and they had finally gotten the dreaded 'Track Down Tora' mission.

"They do," Osamu ground out angrily, rubbing the spot where the feline had gotten its unusually sharp claws through his arm wraps, "Tora isn't a cat... she's a demon."

Hotaka was still breaking into fits of giggles from the sight of Osamu fighting with a cat. He doubted he would ever get to see such a thing again. Even funnier was watching Yancha come to his rescue.

"You don't think Shijimi-sama will notice the the hole Yancha bit in her ear, do you?" he asked after recovering from his last bout.

"I tied the ribbon back over it," Masaru replied, "With any luck, she won't. If she does, we claim ignorance."

"Agreed," Osamu shot a glare at the brown cat, "Maybe next time we should just let Yancha kill her."

An agreeing meow followed by purring was heard from the gold and black feline trotting amongst them.

"What's taking so long, Hiroto-san!?" the shrill, worried voice of their current employer cried as they came within earshot of the tower, "Can't your team find my precious Tora!?"

"I'm sure they are just being careful to capture her without harming her," Hiroto replied diplomatically, "You did tell us she was jumpy around strangers."

"More like desperate to stay away from that crazy lady," Hotaka muttered, sending his friends into fits of barely contained laughter. Sure enough, the closer they got to the woman, the more desperately Tora tried to escape.

"OW! Little monster," Masaru was now bleeding from a fresh bite mark on his hand, "Next time I say we put her in a storage seal."

"Can they hold living things?" Osamu asked curiously.

"Not sure," the large boy replied menacingly while looking down at the cat, "But I'm willing to try it with this little hellcat."

They finally came into sight of Banshou Shijimi and their annoyed looking Sensei. The woman immediately brightened and rushed forward to snatch Tora away from Masaru, who was more than willing to give her up.

"There's my poopsikins!" she cried while embracing the cat in a crushing hug. She seemed immune to its thrashing claws and desperate bites, "I'm sure you were so scared, but you're safe now."

"You can pay in the missions office, Shijimi-sama," Hiroto told her with a false smile, "If you've nothing else for us, we'll be on our way."

He didn't even give her a chance to reply before heading down the road at a speed that could only be called walking in the most liberal terms. His students quickly followed.

"What is wrong with that woman?" Hotaka asked no one in particular once they were half a mile away.

"That woman is the Daimyo's wife, Hotaka. Remember that," Hiroto shot him a warning glare, "Also, I have no clue."

"She's the Daimyo's second wife," Osamu offered what information he knew, "His first one was assassinated by unknown enemies a few years ago."

"You're well informed," Masaru looked at his small friend with his eyebrows raised.

"Gotta know these kinds of things," Osamu replied with a shrug, "Nee-san quizzes me every morning about current events in the Land of Fire."

"That's good," Hiroto smirked, "Have the three of you been doing your individual training?"

"Ugh," Masaru slumped a little, "You mean my personal torture? Where did you get that exercise plan?"

"Gai-san assured me it would increase your endurance and strength by leaps and bounds," the jonin replied nonchalantly, "Have you been doing the whole thing?"

"Everything I can," Masaru answered honestly, "Some of that stuff just isn't possible for me. At least not yet."

"Good. Make sure you keep attempting what you can't do, though," Hiroto ordered, "How about you, Osamu?"

"Nee-san has been drilling me in her style," the small boy answered, "I still plan on never needing it in a real fight."

"That's fine," Hiroto allowed, "Just don't get complacent. Hotaka?"

"Erm..." the boy laughed weakly, "Not much progress."

"You're not even trying are you?" their Sensei fixed a disapproving look on the lanky teen, "I didn't set you to improving your hand seals for nothing, Hotaka."

"You said yourself the combinations you gave me don't do anything," the boy replied defensively, "What's the point in that?"

"The point is to improve your ability to string any combination of seals together," Hiroto replied dryly, "Practice, Hotaka. I can make your life miserable."

The boy spent the rest of their trek to the training field grumbling to himself, but brightened considerably when he remembered that they were sparring today.

"I'm gonna last longer against you today, Sensei," he claimed with determination.

"Actually, I'm going to work with Masaru today," the jonin replied, "I want you to spar with, Osamu."

"But that won't even be a challenge," the boy complained.

"Thanks..." Osamu interjected sarcastically.

"Osamu needs to improve in taijutsu, Hotaka," their Sensei ignored the small boy, "Masaru is good enough to do that, but he's slow enough that Osamu can rely on pure speed to dodge. He needs to learn blocking and parrying, too."

Hotaka saw the reasoning and sighed, "Okay."

"Good," Hiroto smirked, "Remember, Hotaka. Osamu can't boost, so go easy. Light taps when he gives you an opening."

"Yea, yea," Hotaka turned to Osamu and took his fighting stance, "I've sparred before."

XxXxXxX

"I'm so sorry, Osamu," Hotaka was hovering near the dazed boy, much to Hiroto's annoyance, "I swear I was holding back."

"You broke three of his ribs," Masaru chimed in from nearby, heightening the jonin's irritation, "If that's holding back, I don't want to see all out."

At least the large boy was doing something useful by keeping Osamu's distressed cat out of the way. Despite her apparent intelligence, she couldn't quite get that her interference could cause more problems.

"Shut up! Both of you!" Hiroto barked while maintaining concentration on his first aid technique, "What did I tell you, Hotaka? Light taps! Remember that conversation?"

"It was a light tap!" Hotaka protested desperately, "His ribs snapped like twigs!"

"He can't boost," Hiroto reminded him. There was a massive bruise on his patients side, but the ribs beneath were mending slowly, "That means what you thought was a light tap was actually a full force punch."

"I'm sorry, Sensei," Hotaka said dejectedly.

"No..." Hiroto sighed as he finished what he could do with his limited knowledge, "It's my fault. I forced the two of you to spar knowing that Osamu could easily get hurt."

"I thought you said he was stronger than us," Masaru looked up from Yancha who was still struggling to get to her partner.

"He is... adjusting for size and weight," Hiroto agreed, "That doesn't make him durable or knowledgeable on how to leverage it to his advantage."

"Is he gonna be alright?" Hotaka seemed overly nervous.

Hiroto smiled to try and calm him, "He's gonna be fine, Hotaka. He's just a little sedated from the technique I used."

It was strange to see the boy who had burned a man alive with almost no reaction fret so much over a few broken ribs. At least his priorities were straight.

"You two head home," Hiroto ordered, "I'm gonna take him by the hospital for the medics to look over."

They nodded their understanding and headed out.

"So how hard _did _you hit him?" Masaru's voice asked when they got out of sight. A soft thud could be heard, then, "OW! No wonder you broke his ribs, you idiot!"

Hiroto just shook his head and picked his smallest student up. He turned to Yancha who was still purring in distress, but managing not to assault him in an attempt to get near her human.

"He'll be alright," Hiroto assured her, "Can you tell Ren-san he'll be running late for me?"

The cat turned her eyes to the half asleep boy in his arms, "Brrrow..."

"I know you're worried, Yancha," he said gently, "But it isn't that serious. Please go tell Ren-san."

He thought for a moment she wouldn't comply, but then she trotted off. She only looked back once before disappearing into the brush.

Hiroto took off towards the hospital, taking care not to jostle Osamu too much.

"Don't think I should go to the academy today, Nee-san," the teen said blearily, "Feel terrible."

He really needed to figure out how to attenuate the sedation effect of his healing. It was on or off with him; no middle ground to speak of.

When he arrived at the hospital emergency room, he was happy to see it was a slow day for the medics. One of the nurses spotted him with his load, and upon seeing who it was, rushed off.

"That was odd..." he mused to himself.

Another of the nurses approached him, "Take him to exam room five. Through those doors, third on the right."

"I... Okay," Hiroto was at a loss. Osamu was obviously not all that injured, and they were acting like his arm was missing or something.

When he got to the exam room, the nurse there handed him one of the backless paper gowns he hated so much.

"The hell is this for?" Hiroto asked in exasperation.

"For the boy," the nurse answered as if he were a moron, then left him alone.

"Shouldn't you be doing this!?" he shouted after him, but the nurse just slammed the door behind himself.

Hiroto sighed and set Osamu down on the exam table, "Why is nothing ever simple with you?"

He supposed with his luck, the doctor would crawl up his ass instead of the nurses' if Osamu wasn't in the hospital gown. He slipped the kids shirt off, noting the intricate seal just over his heart. There were a pair of concentric rings with multiple kanji and other less readable symbols sandwiched in between. The central area directly over his heart was blank save for the boy's full name.

At a loss for what the seal was for, he got the hospital gown on his student and sat to wait for the doctor. He didn't have to wait long, though.

The man was most certainly a Hyuuga with those solid white eyes. There was no hair to be seen peeking out from under the black bandana he wore over his head. Frown lines and wrinkles from aging crisscrossed his face. He was wearing dark blue scrubs with a white lab coat.

"The hell's wrong with him?" he asked immediately, and Hiroto was slightly taken aback by the gruff way the man spoke. Hyuuga were generally very polite in their language.

"He broke some ribs during training," Hiroto explained, "I used _Naosu no Jutsu_ to mend what I could, but I'm no medic."

The doctor sat on a rolling stool and slid over to the exam table with glowing green hands, "Not a bad job for no medical training... left some splinters from the initial break in there."

"That's why I brought him here," the jonin confessed, "I can only get overt damage."

"You make a good example for other shinobi," the doctor told him as his hands began to glow brighter, "Every soldier out there should be able to do what you can. How did he break his ribs? Misstep in the canopy?"

"Ahh... no," Hiroto replied sheepishly, "He was sparring with his teammate."

"The hell for?" he ended his technique and turned to face the jonin completely, "I'm pretty sure I put in his dossier that he can't boost. He should be avoiding close combat at all costs."

"You're his normal doctor?" Hiroto asked curiously.

"I'm his _only _doctor," the Hyuuga answered, "Hokage's orders. He's not to be seen by anyone else unless it would mean the loss of life, limb, or eyesight."

"Why is that?" Hiroto continued to question.

To his surprise, that seemed to make the medical expert more irate, "What the FUCK!?"

He turned to Osamu with his hands glowing green again, and used a technique Hiroto didn't know to end the sedation the boy was under. He blinkes a few times, then focused on the angry looking doctor.

"Doctor Juro?" he asked in confusion.

"What did I tell you boy?" Juro tore into him, "I would sign off on your medical readiness so long as you explained to your Sensei your conditions."

"He knows I can't boost," Osamu shrunk down into the exam table.

"That's not what I'm talking about, you little shit," the doctor grew angrier.

"Woah!" Hiroto leapt out of his seat and pulled the doctor back from Osamu, "Calm down."

"Tell him," the doctor ordered Osamu curtly, who looked afraid and guilty at the same time, "No... show him."

"Show me what?" Hiroto was getting tired of this, "What was he supposed to let me know?"

"The Sakibou clan performed some forbidden techniques generations ago," the doctor explained with a great deal of disgust, "Fools didn't know what they were mucking with."

"What did it do that has to do with Osamu?"

"Genetic drift," Osamu answered quietly. He was slowly unwrapping the binding from his feet.

"What?"

"The precursors to the more controlled transformation jutsu, like the beast man stuff the Inuzuka use, were permanent," the doctor explained, "Early Sakibou, according to Ren-san, tried to use them to enhance their combat efficacy."

"I'm guessing it didn't go well," Hiroto sat back down.

"I'll say," the doctor let out a mirthless laugh, "Members of the clan mutating out of control as their DNA destabilized. They had no idea what was going on back then, though. How they came up with the seal was never explained to me."

Hiroto looked over at Osamu, "The one on your chest?"

Osamu nodded as he pulled the last of the bindings off his feet and stood. Unlike normal, his stance was... off.

"Lose the pants, too," doctor Juro ordered, "Show him what happens when people muck around with things they don't understand."

Osamu sighed and stripped down to his boxers. He even stripped away the hospital gown to give Hiroto an unobstructed view.

"I'll be damned," Hiroto whispered in amazement.

"Yea," the doctor agreed.

Osamu's legs were shaped oddly; a strange mix of beast and man. His thighs were thicker and more heavily muscled than anyone his size or age, and his calves were similar. It looked as if his ankles had a greater range of motion, and he kept his heels off the floor with his knees flexed. His feet were probably just an inch or two longer than normal and just an inch too thin, but the overall effect was animalistic. All he was missing were the fur and claws.

"How did this happen?" Hiroto asked, "You looked like a normal baby..."

"I was," Osamu replied vehemently as he began to don his clothes again, "My seal wasn't applied until almost two weeks after I was born."

"The seal on his chest protects him from the instability of his own genome," the doctor picked up for the boy, "Problem is, he was given time to mutate. The effects would be unnoticeable at a when he was young, but would grow more pronounced as he ages."

"It's going to get worse?" Hiroto turned worried eyes to his student who was facing away as he put his shirt back on.

With him clothed again, Hiroto could pick up on all the little tricks that Osamu used to disguise his odd anatomy. The dark colors of his clothing, along with the slightly loose fit hid the contour of his legs. The foot wraps used lateral striping to produce an optical illusion, making his feet look shorter and thicker. He also forced his heels to the ground while standing to keep his profile more human.

"I haven't detected any new changes recently," the doctor replied, "Speaking of which, might as well give you a check-up while you're here."

The doctors hands began to glow green again as he went over every part of the downcast boy, "Muscle mass is still ten percent denser than normal. That seems to have stabilized. Your light to color receptor ratio has remained the same... any more gain in color vision or loss of night vision?"

"Not since I was ten," Osamu answered sullenly.

"Your tapetum lucidum hasn't degraded. That's good," the doctor continued, then moved his hands over the boys ears, "Any noticeable change in your range of hearing."

"None," the boy replied, "Still seems normal for a human."

"When was your last rabies vaccination?"

"I'm not due for another six months," Osamu answered after a moment of thought.

"He needs a rabies shot?" Hiroto asked in disbelief.

"Oh yea," the doctor replied, "I tested him against common animal pathogens. He's susceptible to rabies, feline corona virus, and feline leukemia among other things. You don't want him going rabid, either. Look at his teeth."

Osamu sighed yet again and pulled his lips out of the way to give Hiroto a good view.

"That looks like..." he couldn't quite place where he'd seen those particular shapes before.

"Bear teeth are the closest comparison," Juro supplied for him, "His incisors still look human enough, but everything behind them is sharp as hell. Kid has some mean jaw muscles, too."

"If his teeth are like that," Hiroto was beginning to see why Osamu would want to keep all this a secret, "What about the rest of his digestive system?"

"Good question," Juro commented as he test the boys reflexes, "As he aged, his tract began to become more sensitive to cooked meat. He has trouble digesting it."

"If he ate it raw, though..."

Juro answered by digging in his pocket and tossing the jonin a pair of pill bottles.

Hiroto looked at them, and realized what they were, "This is heart worm medication for dogs."

"Other one kills off intestinal parasites," Juro explained.

"Damn, Osamu," Hiroto breathed, "I can't believe you managed to hide this so well."

"I've had help," the teen looked at Juro thankfully, who just scoffed softly.

"Channel some chakra for me," the doctor ordered his patient.

The boy complied, and Hiroto saw the veins around Juro's eyes bulge as his kekkei-genkai activated.

"I'll give you this kid," the doctor smirked, "You got the prettiest chakra I've ever seen. Like looking at opals turned liquid. Any new developments with your kekkei-genkai."

"I'm getting more sensitive," Osamu replied, stopping his channeling, "It's taking more chakra than I'm willing to spend to completely shut out. Crowded areas are starting to give me headaches."

"Hmm," the doctor mused for a moment, "I'll see if I can come up with a decent painkiller that won't interfere with your duties. How about the other stuff."

"Other stuff?" Hiroto asked curiously. He'd only been told about the sensory aspect.

"I can calm emotions now," Osamu seemed a little proud to say that.

"That could be damn useful in the medical field," the doctor took up a clipboard and began writing down notes. The veins around his temples relaxed.

"I can't produce the healing chakra, remember," Osamu countered.

"Pfah," Juro scoffed at that, "You'd make one hell of a psychiatrist, but noooo. You just had to be a shinobi."

"You aren't going to rescind my medical readiness for not keeping my promise?" Osamu asked with a bit of hope.

"I should, you lying little shit," Juro replied in an annoyed tone, "Stay out of melee. Use that genjutsu and kekkei genkai of yours. No reason you can't support your teammates in combat; just stay out of the line of fire."

"Sure thing, Doc," Osamu told him happily.

"Now get out of my sight," Juro ordered, "If you come back in with another dumb injury, I'll have you out of the corps so fast your head'll spin."

After they had put some distance between them and the hospital Hiroto looked down at his student, "You didn't need to keep that from me, you know."

Osamu sighed in resignation, "I just wanted to be normal growing up. Hotaka and Masaru never really mentioned anything, but I caught them staring from time to time. I guess I just didn't want another person doing that."

"Honestly, being normal is kind of dangerous for a shinobi," Hiroto told him, "Think about the Hyuuga. Those eyes are creepy as hell, but they certainly give an advantage."

"Hey. They aren't all creepy," Osamu replied defensively.

"Ah yes," Hiroto grinned big, "Forgot about your girlfriend."

Osamu groaned in frustration, "Not you too."

"Do you see my point, though," Hiroto got them back on subject, "You can't boost, but your higher muscle mass and unusual legs let you move at higher than human speeds anyway. That's not a bad thing."

"It's really hard to hide if I'm trying to disguise myself, though," the boy complained, "My specialty is supposed to be infiltration, but I can't do that with freakish legs. I can use contacts for my eyes, and keep my teeth out of sight, but my legs are too obvious out of my specially made clothing."

"You do have a point there," Hiroto had to admit, "You're a smart kid, though. You'll figure something out. What was that bit about 'calming emotions?'"

"Umm..." Osamu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I don't just sense auras around me. I can read them to get an idea of a person's emotional state and use my chakra to manipulate it."

"That doesn't fit with what I know of genjutsu," Hiroto commented.

"Yea," Osamu agreed, "Most anyone who doesn't know much about genjutsu and mind-altering ninjutsu would assume I'm doing one or the other."

"You used it to calm the Inuzuka hounds, didn't you?" the jonin asked, making the connection from their first D-rank a month ago.

"I did," Osamu confirmed, "Animals are harder for me to sense and read, but are easier to manipulate. I haven't experimented on human targets too much. Just Nee-san really. It feels... dirty."

"You can use me as a guinea pig," his Sensei offered, "I want you to know the capabilities and limitations of this power. From now on, when Masaru and Hotaka are sparring, we'll see exactly what it can do."

Osamu's face became pensive, but he finally nodded, "You're right. I need to explore it."

"At least I know to keep you out of direct combat at all costs now," Hiroto commented lightly after the conversation lapsed into a short, but awkward, silence.

"Kunai and shuriken for me," Osamu said, nonplussed.

"Maybe not," Hiroto replied, "I'm not sure I want you close enough for even that."

"I can cast genjutsu at a really long distance," Osamu agreed hesitantly, "But I don't want to be so far I can't directly support the team."

Hiroto smiled, "Don't worry... you'll be doing more than using illusions. I think we're going to skip out on a mission tomorrow and go weapon shopping."

XxXxXxX

Ayame looked up and smiled to see one of her best customers walk up to the stand, "Hey, Naruto-kun. How are you?"

"I'm alright I guess," The boy seemed slightly down. Not so much sullen as... resigned.

"Come on now," Ayame chided him, "You can tell me."

The boy sighed, "It's my team."

"What about them?" Teuchi asked walking out from the storage in the back, "I hear Kakashi-san is supposed to be one of the top jonin."

"I'm sure that's true," Naruto propped his elbow on the counter and plopped his chin into his hand, "But he sucks as a Sensei."

"How so?" Teuchi kept up the line of questions as he began to make enough noodles to feed an army. If Naruto hadn't ordered yet, it meant Hiroto would be here soon. The two of them could eat as much ramen as ten normal people.

"Well..." Naruto seemed reluctant at first, but Ayame gave him an encouraging smile, "The jerk is always showing up late for team meetings. Like... three hours late. He never teaches us anything either."

"Have you told Hiroto-san about this?" Teuchi looked over his shoulder, "Might be he can do something about it."

Naruto sighed again, crossed his arms on the counter and set his head down on them, "I've tried, but he's always talking about respecting my Sensei..."

"How do you try to tell him?" Ayame asked. She had an idea that the knucklehead was leading off with insults, as was his norm when angry.

"Umm..." Naruto pondered the query, but didn't seem to be able to recall.

"Do you call your Sensei names?" she made the question more specific.

"I guess I call him some names, but..." he stopped when he saw the stern look on the servers face.

"Naruto-kun," she intoned in a motherly way, "There are ways to complain about someone without disrespecting them."

"But..." she continued to stare him down, and he got the point, "I guess you're right."

"Hey, buddy," Hiroto greeted as he jogged up, "Sorry I'm late. Osamu broke some ribs during training today. Had to take him by the hospital."

"Is he alright?" Ayame asked with a worried look. The boy had seemed a little creepy at first, what with the eyes and request that they not cook his meat all the way through, but he had a polite manner that was endearing.

"He's fine," Hiroto answered, "Still sore, but all his bones are in the proper place."

"That's good," she smiled brightly, "So what'll be today, boys."

"Give me three pork, a miso, and a couple of beef," Hiroto rattled off.

"Two miso, a beef, and four pork," Naruto followed up.

"Coming right up," she gave Naruto a pointed look, and moved off to help her father.

"Erm, Nii-san," he turned to his adoptive brother, "I need your help."

"What with?" Hiroto turned worried eyes to him.

"It's Kakashi-sensei," Naruto felt himself get a little heated, but calmed himself when he saw Hiroto's eyebrow raise, "He's always super late, and never teaches us anything. He just gets us to do a D-rank or two a day, then cuts us loose."

"That so?" Hiroto rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "What do the three of you do when he leaves?"

"Go our separate ways," Naruto answered.

You don't try to train on your own?" he asked.

"Not sure about Sakura-chan," Naruto answered honestly, "I think Sasuke trains on his own, and I do, too."

Hiroto nodded, "Say you get ambushed on the road; what will Sasuke-kun do?"

"Wha..." Naruto looked up at him confused, "How should I know?"

"By paying attention to, and training with, your team," Hiroto answered.

"Well what about Sensei?" the boy asked, annoyed, "He's not supposed to do anything?"

"He is," Hiroto replied, "It appears he's not doing it too well, but you have a responsibility, too."

"So what should I do?" Naruto asked a little desperately, "Sensei won't train us, and my teammates don't really like me."

"Tell you what," Hiroto leaned onto the counter, "You get your team to meet mine for some training after your Sensei leaves tomorrow, and I'll look into solving your issue with him."

"Really?" Naruto perked up at the thought, "Will you be teaching us some cool stuff?"

"In a manner of speaking, you'll be learning it all on your own," Hiroto replied cryptically.

Their food arrived soon after, and they stopped conversing to eat. Naruto was preoccupied, though. He had to figure out how to entice his normally antagonistic teammates into coming with him.

* * *

_Naosu_ (Curing, lit. to cure)

Type: Ninjutsu (Medical)

Rank: D

Effect: The user gets a basic idea of damage to the body and can slowly heal overt injuries. The technique can also be used to sedate the patient if necessary. This technique is the basis for other more advanced healing abilities, and is the first thing aspiring medics learn.


	20. Transition Part 2: Among Friends

The section that was originally missing but should have been there is at the end.

* * *

Mayu went hobbling about her house in search of her son. He should have been home by now, but she couldn't hear the tell-tale sounds of his attempts to chakra-walk up the trees around their home.

She found him balancing on a post out back. To increase the challenge, he had set down into a squat with only one foot. The other was crossed over his knee. He didn't seem affected by the exercise at all, but rather frustrated by what he was doing with his hands. He would run through anumber of hand seals as quickly as possible. He stopped often, cursing when he realized he'd messed one up.

"Hotaka?" she called up to him, "Finally decide to put some stock in your Sensei's training regimen?"

He stopped what he was doing, but remained in his squat, "At first I thought it was silly for a taijutsu specialist to focus on learning ninjutsu, but I should be listening to him."

"Alright," Mayu said in a knowing tone, "What'd you do?"

Hotaka sighed and hopped down from his perch, "I broke three of Osamu's ribs."

"How in the hell did you manage to break his ribs?" his mother asked in surprise, "And why has that spawned a sudden desire to listen to your Sensei? Just yesterday you were going off on how stupid your individual training was."

"Hiroto-sensei thought it would be best if Osamu improved his taijutsu," he began to explain, "He had us spar to challenge him."

"That's when you broke his ribs?"

"I did what Sensei said and held back," Hotaka leaned against the post and lightly banged his head against it, "It wasn't, though. I exploited an opening in his guard and hit him in the side. Next thing I know, he's on the ground moaning in pain."

Mayu gave a snort somewhere between amusement and disgust, "There's a reason I kept him against low tier fighters in the academy. He just isn't up to fighting strong opponents in pure taijutsu."

"Now he's at the hospital, and Sensei thinks I'm an idiot," Hotaka said dejectedly as he slid down the post to a sitting position, "Why couldn't I hold back more? I feel so stupid."

Mayu reached out and bopped him on the head with the end of her crutch, "None of that, boy. You aren't stupid."

"So why did I break my friends ribs?" he asked belligerently.

"Cause you're still learning your art," Mayu explained easily, "It's easy to strike at full force. It's very hard to hit with just the right amount you want."

"But I'm the best from my class," there was only a mild bit of boasting in the declaration since it was true, "Shouldn't I be able to do that?"

"Please, Hotaka," his mother laughed, "Your class is a bunch of babes flailing in the wind compared to true masters. You're just the strongest and fastest of them."

The lighthearted insult earned a weak chuckle out of him, "I guess you're right."

"I know I am," she replied confidently, "Don't think you should blow off your Sensei's training, though."

He sighed in frustration"Even if I didn't, I can't get these hand seals right. I just can't seem to get any of the combinations Sensei gave me down. Maybe I am an idiot."

"I said stop that," Mayu commanded, "Show me what you're doing."

He stood and did just that, naming off the seals as he went, "Ram, snake, Boar, Hare, Tiger."

Despite the speed at which he attempted to move his hands, Mayu spotted several mistakes. Judging by the disgusted look on his face, so had Hotaka.

"You're trying to go too fast," she told him as soon as he was done, "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."

"What?" she wondered if she had looked that confused when her Sensei had first said that to her, "What's the point of slow hand sealing?"

"Slow is smooth," she paused to ensure he had taken that in, "Smooth is fast."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked curiously.

"It's something my Sensei told me when I was trying to learn ninjutsu," she began to explain, "I didn't understand at first either."

"You're a taijutsu expert, though," Hotaka commented.

"That's true," she agreed, "but my secondary specialty is ninjutsu. After a few battles, people started calling me..."

"Three Storms," he interrupted.

"Has Natsumi been telling stories about me again?" she asked in exasperation.

"Not this time," Hotaka defended the gruff woman, "I heard it on my first mission a month ago. Tsume-san called you 'Three Storms.'"

"I was never proud of the name, or the fear it inspired in our enemies," she said sadly, "All I ever wanted was to practice and hone my art... but duty demanded I use my talents to defend our village."

"I'm attuned to lightning, water, and wind chakra in that order," she continued, "It wasn't until Sensei recognized my large chakra supply that he tried to get me to learn ninjutsu, though."

"So he had you practicing hand seals," Hotaka supplied, and she nodded her affirmation.

"Just like you, I never attempted to drill in anything but what I needed to graduate the academy," Mayu continued the story, "When Sensei got me started on it I tried to do things quickly, too. What's the point of slow hand seals?"

"You had the same trouble I'm having now?" he asked.

"Sure did," she answered, "Sensei saw and told me, 'Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.'"

"That doesn't make much sense," he said with a look of frustration.

She poked him in the chest with a crutch, "You'll figure it out."

"Wha..." he gaped at her, "Oh come on, Kaa-san!"

"Well, come on," she turned and walked away, "Ren-chan got some fresh salmon from the market today. Girl has trouble cooking sometimes, but she has a damn good nose for meat and fish."

Hotaka stood there in disbelief that his mother would go through such a long story and then leave him hanging.

When he realized that she was heading down the road to the Sakibou residence, he chased after her, "That's not fair, Kaa-san!"

XxXxXxX

"O-osa-kun?" Hinata's soft voice caused him to jump in surprise, "Are you a-alright?"

He had been winding his way slowly home after splitting up with his Sensei. It had taken some serious persuading to get the man to not take him all the way home, but Osamu had finally convinced him he would be alright. He had been lost in thought so deeply and surrounded by so many auras that Hinata had managed to essentially sneak up on him.

"I'm fine, Hinata-chan," he turned and gave her a reassuring smile, "What are you doing out this late?"

It wasn't all that late really, but it was close to the time most families sat down for dinner.

"My t-team trained late t-today," she answered. She did seem a bit dirty, but Osamu was in the same boat, "W-what are you d-doing out th-this late?"

"Broke some ribs during a spar," he explained nonchalantly, "Just came from the hospital."

"Y-you should b-be more c-careful," she chided him with worry in her voice.

"Oh trust me," he assured her with a smirk, "I will. That _hurt_."

She smiled, but the worry didn't leave her eyes, "Are y-you sure you're f-fine?"

Osamu saw the intersection where Hinata would part ways with him, "If you're so worried, perhaps you should walk me home to be sure."

"I-I... umm..." she began to fiddle with her fingers.

"Come on," he turned and began to walk backwards in front of her, "You can eat with us. Chances are Mayu-obaa-san will be there to cook."

"M-mayu-sensei?" she seemed pensive and torn, but remembered the conversation she had with her father. He had basically told her it was fine of Osamu visited her at the compound. Surely the reverse held true as well... right?

"O-okay," she agreed timidly.

"Awesome!" he celebrated with a small hop that landed him facing forward again.

She laughed quietly at his antics, but stopped when she suddenly remembered a task Hiashi had given her.

"Osa-k-kun," he turned a curious eye on her, "Otou-sama w-wished for me to p-pass along his thanks f-for the scroll. He also w-wanted me t-to tell you to use t-the front g-gate from now on.""

"That's a relief. I was worried he would take it the wrong way," Osamu got a mischievous look in his eye, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of c-course," the last thing she wanted to do was alienate the only real friend she had.

"I didn't actually sneak in," his smile was so big his eyes closed and his fangs peeked out from his upper lip.

"W-what?" she asked confused, "B-but... How?"

"Ko-san let me in," he told her in a conspiratorial whisper, "He gave me the notes on your defenses, too. I copied them in my own handwriting, though."

"W-why would Ko-s-san do that?" her bodyguard on occasions where Kurenai could not escort her to and from the academy and whenever she left the compound otherwise never seemed to like Osamu all that much.

Osamu shrugged, "He didn't say. All he told me was that I had to make sure the information got to Hiashi-sama."

Hinata realized then that the branch family, or possibly just Ko acting alone, had pulled a fast one on the entire elder council. She was surprised at the small satisfaction that gave her.

"S-so you're n-not so good at infiltration a-after all," she tried to make it sound joking like Osamu and his friends always did, but he gave her a hurt look.

I'm s-sorry!" she nearly cried, and he began to laugh.

"Calm down, Hinata-chan," he managed after a moment, "I was just teasing you, like you were me."

"You're n-not m-mad?" she asked for assurance.

"Of course not," he laughed again, "Besides... you're right. I have a lot to learn still."

As they came closer to Osamu's home, and closer to the infamous fox district, she began to notice that he was losing a lot of tension from all over his body. She hadn't ever noticed how tight he kept his muscles because they were always like that. Now that she saw him truly relaxed, she had to wonder just what had him coiled so tight.

She couldn't puzzle it out by the time they reached his house, and she became distracted by the size of it. She also took in the high fence that extended from the sides in either direction for quite some distance. Many signs warned of danger beyond the wooden barrier.

Osamu noted her curiosity and began to explain, "We care for cats of all sizes that somehow make their way to Konoha and have nowhere else to go."

"L-like what?" she asked curiously.

"There was a puma that somehow made it inside the wall who had cubs," he began to list off while staring into space, "A pair of cougars that were seized from some rich guy who refused to pay the village. We even have a tiger that a traveling circus purchased and found 'untrainable.' There are more; ten in all."

"A c-cat that size c-could easily j-jump that fence," she commented as they approached the front door.

"The fence isn't to keep them in," Osamu explained, "It's there to keep people out. The cats know not to leave our land."

It was like seeing the Inuzuka clan compound all over again, but with cats. She began to hear and see smaller felines around them just laying around or cleaning themselves. It was a whole colony of stray cats.

"They're attracted to us," Osamu shrugged when she gave him a questioning look, "A couple of years ago, a man tried to rob us and got attacked by close to fifty stray cats. He hopped the fence to get away from them and nearly got killed by the big ones."

They entered the house, and a delicious aroma wafted over them. He led her into the kitchen where three sets of eyes turned curiously to Hinata, much to her discomfort.

"Boy certainly knows how to take advantage of an injury," Natsumi commented idly after downing a small bowl of saki.

Mayu glanced up from where she was rolling up sushi, some dish steaming behind her on the stove, "She kiss it and make it better, Osa-kun?"

"Natsumi-san! Mayu-san!" Ren chided as she approached Hinata, "Don't mind the old women. They tease everyone like that. I'm Ren."

Hinata fought hard to cover her embarrassment. Her only consolation was that Osamu seemed to be blushing as much as her, "H-hinata. I h-hope I'm n-not intruding."

"Of course not," Ren graced her with a smile similar to Osamu's, "We have enough to feed an army."

Natsumi snorted in amusement before downing another bowl, "Too bad the boys and Anko can eat enough for an entire army."

On cue they heard the laughter of the kunoichi from out back, "Gonna have to be faster than that boys!"

She came strutting back in, proudly dragging Hotaka and Masaru wrapped in seal tags, "Fools threw them from either side of me and ended up hitting each other when I got out of the way."

She held them up like a couple of freshly caught fish, "I do like the binding bombs, though."

"That's nice, Anko-nee-san," Masaru said sweetly, "Can you let us go now?"

Anko made a show of pondering the idea, then finally spoke as if she were their mothers, "I really shouldn't. The two of you need to learn respect for your elders."

"Elder is right," Hotaka quipped.

"Hey!" Anko shook him.

"Elder brings to mind wisdom," Masaru added, "Anko-nee-san is just old."

"You little turds can stay like that," Anko threw them to the ground where they remained, laughing.

"Ah let 'em out, Anko," Mayu told her, "Dinner's ready."

There was little ceremony to the beginning of the meal. Everyone just thanked Mayu for the cooking and began to grab up whatever they wanted.

"Don't be afraid to push their grubby hands out of the way," Mayu told Hinata from across the table, when she noticed how hesitant she was, "Just take what you want, dear."

"So wha's the Hooga pincess doin' her?" Anko asked through a mass of food in her mouth.

"Ah damnit, Anko," Natsumi covered her eyes, "At least swallow before you talk. I got a full view."

"Osa-kun invited her for dinner," Ren explained to the tactless woman.

"Hyuuga are good for influence," Anko said to Osamu after swallowing her food, "But if you're after money go for an Akimichi. They got their hands in every food joint in this village."

"Anko!" Ren cried, "Don't tell him that!"

"See, Masaru," Natsumi leaned over to her son and pointed her chopsticks at Anko, "That's a gold digger."

Anko stuck her tongue out at the smirking woman.

"Is i-it always like t-this?" Hinata whispered to Osamu who was just sitting back and enjoying the show.

"Oh yea," he replied instantly," They're actually being kinda tame tonight."

"So Masa-kun?" Ren said after a short lapse in the verbal circus, "How did you come up with those binding bombs?"

"Oh that's a good story," Osamu finally joined the conversation.

"I don't know..." Masaru looked around the table suspiciously, "That was only about a year ago. Kaa-san might still punish me for it if she knew."

"I'll give you amnesty on this one," his mother allowed.

"Alright," Masaru leaned in as if sharing the plans for a top secret operation, "So there we were, walking back from the academy..."

"We take this roundabout path so Masaru can check out this weird secondhand shop on the way," Hotaka picks up without missing a beat, "We take a peak inside, and immediately Masaru homes in on this weird metal tube..."

"It was about this wide," Masaru held his hands about a a foot apart, "I start looking at it closer, and notice this canister attached to it. I get to thinking it's some sorta air powered cannon..."

"Masaru's on full scheming mode by now," Hotaka takes over again, "The shop owner, some weird little guy from Wind, offers to sell it to him. I know Masaru is going bonkers over this thing when he pays the weasel's asking price..."

"We get it back to my place, and I get to tinkering with it," Masaru continues the story, "That's when I find out... It's a confetti cannon!"

"I'm thinking it's a bust," Hotaka takes a sip of tea to clear his throat, "That's when Masaru shows me his latest project..."

"Chakra sealing tags," Masaru proclaims proudly, "Just perfected my technique with them. I get Hotaka to help me rig the thing to go off from a basic contact-interruption switch, and I put my new toy in a scroll for easy smuggling..."

"The next morning," Osamu finally picks up the story, apparently reaching a part where he was present, "These clowns tell me all about the plan, and Masaru gives me the scroll. Iruka-sensei had gotten in the habit of giving both of them a once over at the beginning of the day..."

"And checking our dead drops," Masaru laughed, "I think we about drove that man batty. Osamu gets the goods inside and passes the scroll back to me..."

"So while Iruka-sensei is turned to the board," Hotaka picks the story back up, "Osamu does his thing and produces an image of a bored looking Masaru..."

"The trick doesn't hold up for long," Osamu told them, "But it did give Masaru time to set up his prank..."

"So I find myself an empty classroom and set up the seal tag cannon," Masaru begins to giggle to himself between words, "I set it up with the switch on the door and frame. Someone opens it and BOOM! Plastered in seal tags."

"That's all well and good," Natsumi tells her son with a smile, obviously enjoying the anecdote, "But how did you bait your trap."

"That was my stroke of genius," he claimed proudly, "I set up a battery powered motor with a sharp tack connected to the axle. Every time it rotated around, it made a scratching noise on the blackboard."

"You have raised a devil child," Anko muttered, "The lot of you aren't kids. You're monsters."

"Don't mind her," Mayu waved her hand dismissively, "She's been claiming that for years."

"So w-what h-happened?" Hinata's quiet voice cut in, much to everyone's surprise. She blushed when she realized the attention she garnered for herself.

"Not a minute after I prime the trap and hop out the window," Masaru was now having trouble controlling his laughter, "I hear the door open and the cannon go pop. I peeked back through the window to see Mizuki-sensei plastered to the wall in the hallway. Oh man, some of the words he said are not appropriate in any setting..."

"He's not a Sensei anymore," Anko cut in, unusually somber, "Don't call him that anymore."

"Okay..." Masaru agrees, confused. It wore off quickly as he went on with the tale, "So I get back to class before Iruka-sensei notices I'm gone..."

"We don't see Mizuki-sensei... I mean Mizuki-san all morning," Osamu laughs, "We go see him at lunch, and he's _still there_."

"No one found him!?" Ren manages to ask through her laughter.

"I guess not," Hotaka answers through his own.

"The best part is," Masaru manages to get in when the laughter starts to die, "He never saw me, and the academy still has no idea who did it!"

The laughter kicked back up for a few minutes. Even Hinata found herself laughing aloud.

When it began to die again Natsumi pointed her chopsticks at Masaru and said with deadly calm, "Fifty kata when we get home."

"Gah!" the large boy cried, "You said I had amnesty!"

"And you do," she confirmed, "For the prank. I recall asking if it had been you that evening and you said no. You lied."

"Ugh..." Masru's head fell, "Caught on a technicality."

This just earned him more laughter.

Hinata watched in fascination as the group continued to banter. This was nothing like the dinners she had with her family. Cold and austere were the hallmarks of a Hyuuga meal. Here she sat with four older women and three boys her age bandying words on relatively equal ground.

The meal was surreal for her to say the least. She remained quiet for most of it, speaking only to answer questions directed at her. Everyone seemed to pick up that she was more comfortable sitting back and watching fairly quickly and allowed her to do so. Far from feeling excluded, though, she was regaled with many embarrassing and funny stories about her peers. Soon the dinner ended and she followed the boys outside where she met the various great cats that Osamu had told her about.

"You d-don't name them?" she asked him curiously when he couldn't provide any monikers for them.

"They don't need it," he shrugged, "They always seem to know when we are talking to one of them."

They settled down in the soft grass of Ren's garden, warmed against the chill autumn twilight by the warmth of the gathered felines. Yancha had forsaken her partner and climbed into Hinata's lap where she lay purring contentedly. Hinata was stroking the cat absentmindedly as she let her mind drift. This night had only served as a reminder of what she didn't have, and she couldn't help but fall into melancholic longing.

She didn't notice either Masaru or Hotaka leave, but she did become aware of amber eyes boring into her, as if looking into her very soul. She turned and met those eyes. The pupils had taken up most of his irises in the fading light.

"Are you alright Hinata?" Osamu asked worriedly, "You seem like you're a million miles away."

"J-just thinking," she gave him a weak smile.

"Why are you always so sad?" he asked suddenly.

The blunt inquiry left her slightly off balance, "I... I'm n-not..."

"Yes you are," he pressed, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want. I've just been wondering for a long time now, and I felt like you might trust me enough to say."

There was no accusation in his tone, but she still sensed he was slightly hurt. She wasn't sure what to say.

"What makes you happy, then?" he asked before she could find some way to apologize.

"M-my team," she answered immediately, "Being in K-kaa-san's garden. F-finding I had f-friends I didn't know w-were there."

She shot him a smile on the last one, and he smiled back, "Anything else."

She began to press her fingers together nervously, "There is, but..."

"It's alright if you don't want to say," he told her again.

She already knew so much about Osamu. She knew where he was from and that his clan had been massacred. She knew that while Ren mourned the loss of their parents, he mourned never knowing them. She knew he loved Masaru and Hotaka like brothers. She knew all of that and other little details, but she had never given anything back.

"T-there's s-someone I l-like," her embarrassment at admitting that had her stuttering terribly, and she could feel her cheeks heating considerably.

Osamu raised his eyebrows, "Really. Do they know?"

She shook her head, "I've n-never even t-talked to him. It m-makes me f-feel bad, b-because I c-could have b-been a friend to him w-when he f-felt lonely."

"Naruto-san?" Osamu stated and asked at the same time. She gaped at his spot on guess, "Yea... Naruto-san."

"H-how?"

He smiled slyly at her, "He's an orphan. Never knew his parents... like me. My Sensei adopted him a few years back, but a jonin is out of the village a lot. A lot of people seem to avoid him. He's probably the loneliest guy I know. Add in the way you looked at him at the academy, and it's pretty easy to see who you're talking about."

"P-please don't s-say anything," she pleaded with him.

"Of course not," he agreed immediately, "I worked way to hard to earn some trust from you to blow it on rumor-mongering."

"T-thank you," she sighed in relief. When she looked up she noticed that the stars were out, "What t-time is it?"

Osamu shrugged, "I dunno... seven maybe."

She hadn't realized she had been here for so long. Meals in her household were very short, and she hadn't expected to stay for more than an hour. It had been over two.

"I n-need to g-go!" she jumped up and rushed through the house and out the front door, she only just remembered to snatch up her sandals, and could be seen hopping on one foot as she put them on while moving.

Osamu watched with a smirk then looked down at his cat, "Make sure she gets home safely, please."

XxXxXxX

Begin missing section

XxXxXxX

"Over an hour late," the old man spat out in disgust, "And counting."

"She is most likely with her team," Hiashi tried to placate his father.

"Can she not just leave?" Hanabi asked.

"Hinata's responsibilities to the village supersede those to the clan," Hiashi explained to his younger daughter. He suppressed a smirk at the annoyed look he received from his patron.

"I for one refuse to wait any longer," the old man stood and began to walk out, "I see no reason to wait for a disrespectful child."

Hiashi stood as well. His hunger was sated, and despite his obtuse way of looking at things, his father had a point.

He looked over at Neji who had apparently drawn the short straw that night for serving the main family dinner, "Neji, have Ko-san come see me at his earliest chance."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," there was no hint of disrespect in his voice, but the boy was not nearly as good at disguising his body language as he thought. Hiashi could plainly see his distaste. Yet another problem for him to deal with.

He bid his daughter good night and went to his office. It wasn't long after his arrival that a knock sounded.

"Enter," he bade, setting down a list of expenses the clan had incurred over the past month.

Ko did so, and knelt on the provided cushion. He bowed his head low in subservience, but rose without permission. He had apparently sensed his leader's annoyance at the gesture.

"How may I serve, Hiashi-sama?" he asked in the neutral tone the Hyuuga cultivated so carefully.

"I wish to discuss this scroll," Hiashi pulled the scroll that his daughter had left for him the previous day.

"What is it, Hiashi-sama?" Ko asked, the barest hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Do you think me senile or stupid?" Hiashi asked harshly, "You know very well what this is."

Ko remained silent; though, his lack of denial spoke volumes.

"I don't care how talented the boy is at infiltration," Hiashi went on, "There is no way he could have gotten to my late wife's garden without assistance. His analysis of our defenses also suggests he is an expert in security."

"Are you accusing me of aiding Sakibou Osamu?" Ko's face betrayed the slightest bit of apprehension.

"I am," the Hyuuga leader confirmed, "You have brought every issue in here to my attention at one time or another. I had thought them taken care of, but I was apparently mistaken."

"If the result is better protection for this clan," Ko responded, his eyes meeting Hiashi's, "Then I will accept my punishment with pride."

It was good for Hiashi to hear that, "Good. I expect every issue listed in this scroll to be resolved within a week. I will personally inspect all measures at that time."

"Hiashi-sama?" Ko looked honestly confused.

"Can you not do that?" the leader raised a brow questioningly, "Surely the branch will listen to one of their own."

"You are placing me in charge of security?" Ko's composure finally cracked. His face was full of surprise.

"Would you rather I activate your seal?" Hiashi asked him dryly.

"N-no, Hiashi-sama," Ko struggled to regain his cool, "I will do as you say."

"Excellent," Hiashi tossed the scroll to his new chief of security, "Should any member of this clan give you problems in the execution of their duties, inform me. I will see that they comply."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," Ko allowed himself to smile ever so slightly, "Is there anything else?"

Hiashi was about to dismiss him, but thought better of it at the last moment, "There is, actually. The boy you used, this Sakibou Osamu. What do you know about him?"

"A great deal more than he thinks," Ko replied confidently, "I did not take my duties protecting your daughter lightly."

"Tell me about him," Hiashi ordered.

"He is a troublemaker, much like his friends," Ko began, "Though, he is much better at covering his tracks."

Hiashi didn't like the sound of that, but chose to allow him to continue.

"His feline companion lives up to her name, Yancha, and is often causing all sorts of mischief," he went on, "He is secretive and manipulative, able to steer conversations to what information he desires, even with those older than him."

"You do not paint a bright picture of Hinata's friend," Hiashi finally interupted.

"It would seem that way," Ko hedged, "But despite these traits, he is loyal and trustworthy. Many times he has accepted punishment instead of outing a friend after one of their pranks. Also, despite an unusually deep knowledge of Hinata-sama's... issues, he has never discussed such things with anyone and never pushed her to reveal their source."

"Is that so?" Hiashi found that interesting.

Ko nodded, "He is talented, as well. Kurenai-san has expressed many times that she believes him to be her successor as Konoha's foremost genjutsu artist. If the rumors about the elder Sakibou are true, he may also have other unknown abilities."

"Rumors?" Haishi prompted.

"It is said amongst the more superstitious that she is able to see and drive off demons," Ko explained, "I have also heard rumors amongst the hospital staff that she can bind them as well."

"You give credence to such outlandish claims?" Hiashi asked incredulously.

"Rumors can often have their basis in fact," Ko countered, "The creatures are real enough at least. We found that out the hard way twelve years ago."

Hiashi didn't have much of a counter for that. Rumor's could be exploited just like any other information, anyway.

"Thank you, Ko-san," he finally said, "You may go."

Ko stood, bowed, and left.

It wasn't long after Ko had gone that another knock sounded on his door.

"Enter," he couldn't help the slight note of annoyance that seeped into his voice.

Hinata slipped into the room and bowed, "My apologies for missing dinner Otou-sama."

"It is of no consequence," he waved his hand dismissively without looking up from his paperwork.

"Oh," his daughter's voice grew sad, "I w-will leave y-you to your w-work."

He glanced up and realized she had taken his words in entirely the wrong way.

"Where were you?" he asked before she could scurry out the door.

"Osa-k-kun invited m-me to h-his home for d-dinner," she explained more timidly than normal.

He tried to look her in the eye, but she kept dropping her gaze, "Hinata, a Hyuuga does not drop their gaze for anyone. Look at me."

She did so, fidgeting the whole time.

"So long as you maintain your responsibilities to this clan and our village, your free time is your own," he explained to her, "You may think to send word next time."

She nodded her understanding.

"Go," he commanded, and she did.

His thoughts on the matter did not leave with her, however.

Again this friend of hers was causing ripples in his clan. He didn't doubt his father would be especially harsh in their early morning training. Perhaps he would forgo his own exercises and observe. In any case he needed to know exactly what Sakibou Osamu's intentions were. He needed to meet the child directly to gauge his character.

He smirked as an idea formed in his mind. One that would allow him to meet Osamu in setting of his choosing, irk his father, and show his daughter that he took an interest in her life.

He reached for his pen, but then decided against it. He opened his nearby calligraphy set and opened a moderately ornate blank scroll. If he was going to get a good read on the boy's character, Osamu needed to be a bit shaken coming into this. Hiashi knew for a fact that a formal invitation to dinner at the Hyuuga compound was a sure fire way to intimidate anyone.


	21. Transition Part 3: Helping Hand

"Sweet!" Masaru exclaimed, "We get to buy weapons!"

"Calm down, Masaru," Hotaka said with a yawn, "It's not like they're gonna be anything like Sensei's shields."

"Buzzkill," Masaru shot back, annoyed. He brightened almost immediately, though, "I could make them that awesome if Sensei would just let me..."

"I told you no, Masaru," Hiroto interrupted him from where he led the group through the twists and turns of Konoha's back alleys, "I don't want you screwing up the seals that make them work. I have no idea why I even bothered to show you what they could do."

"C'mon Sensei," Masaru pleaded, "It's for science."

"No," Hiroto said with an air of finality, "Now drop it. We're here."

They entered the shop at the end of the alley, and Hiroto swore he could hear Masaru begin to salivate.

"Oh hey!" Tenten greeted happily from the counter, she set aside a long pole she had been meticulously carving designs into, "Is this a social visit, or are you interested in a purchase?"

"My students are looking to purchase their first real weapons," Hiroto told her, "Osamu needs something with range. The other two just need something to compliment their own styles."

She nodded her understanding, "Let's see. Maybe some cesti for Hotaka-san..."

"Maybe he should leave," Tenten's father said from behind her.

Hotaka frowned, "Have I done something wrong?"

Tenten whirled on her father and pushed him back through the door that led to his forge in the back of the shop.

"What the hell is your problem, Tou-san?" she asked him in a harsh whisper.

"You shouldn't have even invited them here," Shuji told her with a hint of anger, "This place is meant for the best."

"Listen," she hissed back at him, "This is the first real chance in a long time I get to interact with people my age outside of my team. You told me to stay away from Naruto-san, but you will _not _screw this up for me."

She turned on her heel and was about to walk away when he said, "She's dead because of Mayu."

Tenten turned back slowly. She didn't nee to ask who he meant, but she did anyway, "Kaa-san? Dead because of Mayu-sesnei?"

"I wish you wouldn't call her that," Shuji ground out angrily, "That woman doesn't deserve your respect."

Tenten's face grew hot with rage, but she kept her calm, "I don't know what happened when the Fox attacked, but I do know 'that woman' taught me more than you ever did about taijutsu. I will not turn away a shinobi of Konoha for your grudge."

"My grudge!" he nearly shouted, "She's gone because of that bitch and her little snake!"

Tenten wasn't sure who the little snake was referring to, but the term 'bitch' was fairly obvious. She reached out and smacked her own father. He was too surprised to retaliate.

"I-I see," he said softly after a few moments of stunned silence, "Very well, Tenten. Do as you will."

He moved back towards his forge, activating the machine that worked the bellows for him.

Tenten, her rage cooling quickly after seeing the hurt in her father's eyes called out to him, "Tou-san! I'm sorry..."

He seemed to ignore her, and that got her riled all over again. She turned and left the sullen man to his work. She plastered on a fake smile to keep the questions to a minimum. She found Team Five wandering around the shop sans their Sensei. Hotaka noticed her first.

"I can leave," he offered diplomatically, "I wouldn't want to cause any trouble."

"No," Tenten said to him immediately, "You can stay."

Hotaka shrugged and went back to examining their collection of naginata.

"Those are a little big for you," Tenten told him, "Someone like you needs a quick weapon. Maybe a pair of sai..."

She looked over at Masaru who was testing the balance of a bo staff.

"Unusual choice for most shinobi," she commented, "Staves don't have a whole lot of killing potential on their own. A real master can make them as deadly as any blade, though."

Masaru shrugged as he went through some basic moves with it, "I've got plenty of ways to kill already."

The calm, cold way he stated it gave Tenten some pause. She looked closer at her customers and realized they all had something in their eyes. A slightly haunted look she remembered seeing in both Lee and Neji for some time after their first kills. She didn't doubt her eyes had looked the same to others. She had to wonder how a group of genin only a month out of the academy would have already drawn blood.

"How about a bow," Osamu called from the other side of the shop, shaking her from her thoughts. He was looking at a rack of long-bows she had made herself.

"You won't find more range than that," Tenten walked over to him. She grabbed his arm and led him to a rack of shorter bows, "May I suggest a short-bow? They are more compact and easier to maneuver with."

Osamu nodded his agreement and reached for one near the end of the rack.

"That has a high pull..." she tried to warn him. She was surprised when he seemed to have no trouble pulling the string all the way back, "Never mind."

"Can I try it out?" Osamu asked eagerly.

She pointed to a door in the back, "There are targets out there with barrels of arrows. Try not to kill yourself."

Masaru followed him out to get more room for the staff he held. Hotaka however was still having trouble finding anything that fit.

"This is frustrating," he threw his hands up in disgust, "I don't see anything here that fits with Koodorikaze. Does Lee-senpai use a weapon?"

Tenten nodded, "Not very often, but we made him a set of weights that snap together into a heavy staff."

"That's cool," Hotaka said impressed, "I don't think that would be right for me, though. My style is about speed, precision, and flexibility."

Tenten thought on the problem. There were many weapons she could name that fit those parameters, but judging by his position in the store, he had rejected many of those already. An idea hit her. She rushed behind the counter and brought out a pair of metal bracers.

"These are technically experimental," she explained, "I designed them, but I haven't really been able to make good use of them."

"What makes you think I'll be able to, then?" Hotaka asked curiously as she strapped the bracers to his forearms, "Aren't you supposed to be a weapons expert."

"I am, but these are entirely new to me," she confirmed. She tightened the last of the straps down and smiled, "There... your wrists aren't much bigger than mine."

He examining the bracers closely to try to discern their purpose. He found the undersides to be thicker than normal. Near the front, the material thinned out save for the middle which came to a point on either bracer.

"How do they work?" he asked, unable to puzzle it out.

"There are seals on the inside that will react to your chakra and drive mechanisms within the bracers," she began to tell him.

"The first pulse you give them will launch the blades," she tapped the pointed portion on the underside, "They're tethered by a high tensile wire, and the second pulse you give to the bracers will stop the reels and lock them in place."

"The third pulse reels them back in?" Hotaka guessed.

Tenten nodded, "Yep. They have an effective reach of six meters."

Hotaka gave a low whistle, "That's pretty cool, but what makes you think I can make good use of it when you couldn't?"

Tenten shrugged, "It requires good throwing accuracy, but needs very controlled movement to keep the wires from becoming tangled. I thought a taijutsu specialist might have what these babies need to shine."

"Let's see what I can do with them," Hotaka said eagerly, heading for the door.

When they exited they found Masaru running through a staff kata slowly.

"I didn't know you could use a staff," Hotaka said to him.

"I don't," Masaru replied as he slowly took the staff through an upward strike maneuver, "Kaa-san used to fight with one and makes me run through kata as a punishment."

"I suppose that would take you away from your research," he laughed as Tenten set up some target dummies in the large practice yard for him, "You do get grumpy when you're interrupted while deciphering a new seal."

"I get absorbed in my work," Masaru said defensively.

"That's the understatement of the year," Osamu called as he pulled another arrow back. He was hitting his target, but the grouping was terrible.

"Hold the string, Osamu-san, not the arrow," Tenten told him, "Release all at once. Don't be afraid of the snap."

She turned towards Masaru, "You study fuuinjutsu?"

Sure do," he paused in his exercise and held a palm up for her to see, "My first real design. Based on work Tou-san did."

She was inches away from it in an instant, drinking in the details, "This looks like you folded a chain seal in on itself..."

"That's a good way to put it," Masaru agreed, "I call it a modular seal. The array can store any number of small objects and release them one at a time."

"I didn't think that was possible," she continued to scrutinize the lines, "These aren't just for storage, are they?"

"Good eye," he smirked and pointed his hand at one of the dummies she had just set up. He didn't give it too much chakra, but the kunai still made a hissing sound as it cut through the air.

"Oh wow!" she grabbed his hand and began tracing some of the lines with her index finger, "I thought I saw a chakra converter in here. These must be what change the orientation of the object as it's unsealed. This is really impressive. How did you translate such complex mathematics into the array?"

"Trade secret," he gave her a cheeky grin.

"Of course," she said caught between annoyance and amusement.

"I didn't know anyone else my age was studying this stuff," the larger boy said, impressed, "Have you made anything interesting."

She nodded, "Actually, Hotaka-san was about to test out one of my inventions. I've been experimenting with chakra driven machinery."

"Those are supposed to require a lot of space," Masaru commented with interest, "How'd you miniaturize it?"

"Trade secret," she echoed him with a smile.

"Well lets see it, Hotaka," Masaru said after a short laugh.

Hotaka looked over at Osamu who had stopped his practice to listen to the conversation. The smaller boy just shrugged.

Hotaka held his arm parallel to the ground and sent a pulse of chakra down his arm. Just as Tenten had told him, the blade launched from the bracer at high speed. He reckoned it was moving about as fast as if he had thrown it. The aim was different than he was used to, though, and it hit the dummy in the shoulder instead of the chest. He sent two more pulses to trigger the reeling function, and the blade tore its way free and soon clanked back into place under his wrist.

"That's the only problem I have," Tenten commented, "I can't seem to work out the aim properly. Each time is a little different."

"It's the recoil," Masaru stated as he walked over to examine the bracer, "Since you're using a mechanical launch system, there is recoil that will throw your aim off."

"I didn't feel anything like that," Hotaka said dubiously.

"Neither did I when I tried it out," Tenten agreed.

"It's in the laws of motion," Masaru explained, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you launch the blade, it causes you arm to move slightly. Since you remain tethered to it, the motion causes the blade to go off course."

"Damnit," Tenten cursed, "I didn't think about that. Guess it's back to the drawing board."

"Maybe not," Masaru told her, "Hotaka. Try again, but this time act as if you were throwing a normal kunai. Instead of flicking your wrist, activate the device. Make sure you don't follow through, though. That will drag the blade out of line."

Hotaka nodded and set up again. This time he moved his hand down to his pouch as if grabbing a kunai. His arm flicked forward in a flash, and the blade was sent flying faster than before. This time it exactly where the heart would be in a living target.

"That did it!" Tenten said excitedly, "It had more power, too."

"I have some ideas on how to make use of them besides this," Hotaka grinned evilly, "I'll have to practice with them to make sure I can do it without tangling them, though."

"I'll gladly sell them to you, so long as you keep me updated on your progress," Tenten offered, "I want to know how well they'll actually work."

"How much?" Hotaka asked with interest.

"With as much work I put into them, I would normally ask for 10000," Hotaka face fell a little, but her next words made him brighten back up, "But since you're gonna be my guinea pig, I'll cut that in half."

"Deal, "Hotaka agreed immediately.

"The staff is only a thousand," she informed Masaru, who nodded his acceptance. She then turned to Osamu, "Is that good, or do you need a lighter pull?"

"This is perfect," he informed her, "I'll take it."

"Excellent," she clapped her hands, "That's three thousand, and it comes with twenty training arrows and forty broad-heads. Let's go inside and we can finalize your purchases. Let's hurry this up. I gotta meet my team in an hour."

XxXxXxX

Hiroto watched him for nearly two and a half hours before the other jonin moved. It was close to ten hundred hours; a full three hours after Naruto left to meet his team. Hiroto forwent watching their meeting, and instead went to the Hokage tower. He observed them receiving a mission. Naruto spent much of the time trying to impress anyone who looked, and everyone else seemed to be trying to ignore him.

"Thought you were growing out of that," Hiroto muttered to himself.

He continued to wait at the tower until Team Seven had completed their mission. It was close to noon, and to his surprise, Kakashi cut them loose right there.

Hiroto wanted to see if Naruto could convince his teammates to join Team Five for joint training, but he decided it was more important to see where Kakashi went. The answer proved to be right back to the Memorial Stone.

Disgusted with a man he normally held in high esteem, Hiroto felt he'd seen enough. He made his way to their training ground to find his team practicing with their new weapons diligently.

"You three seem happy," He commented.

Osamu gave Masaru a sly look, "Masaru won't shut-up about Tenten-san. I think he's in love."

"Oh stuff it," Masaru took a lazy swipe at his teammate, "I'm interested in her work."

Osamu ducked it easily, "Not so funny when the sandal's on the other foot, is it."

"I'll show you funny..."

"Alright you two," Hiroto got between them. Scuffles between the boys were rarely angry and never dangerous, but they did sometimes last awhile, "Let's go get some food."

After lunch they headed to their training ground to find Naruto waiting for them.

"Well?" Hiroto asked his little brother.

"They didn't really say," Naruto shrugged, "If Sasuke comes, Sakura-chan will too."

"Honestly don't know what you see in that shrew," Masaru muttered.

"Hey!?" Naruto yelled back.

"Calm down, children," Osamu chided them, much like his sister used to do to him, "Sasuke-san and Sakura-san are here."

Sure enough, the other two members of Team Seven arrived in short order.

"How'd you do that?" Naruto asked curiously, squinting at Osamu.

"Secret," Osamu answered with a smile, much to Naruto's annoyance.

"Alright, Dobe," Sasuke said lazily, "We're here. What are we doing?"

"Don't call me that, bastard," Naruto growled out.

"Don't call Sasuke-kun a bastard," Sakura raised a fist in Naruto's direction.

"Everyone shut-up!" Hiroto shouted, "I invited Team Seven here to learn. If all you're going to do is snipe at one another, you can leave."

Sasuke looked as if he might say something, but a glare from Hiroto made him swallow his words.

"Good," Hiroto smiled, "Now you're going to do a team building exercise."

Team Seven exchanged incredulous looks. They apparently knew where a team building exercise would take them.

"The objective of the exercise is to teach your fellow genin," he continued to explain, "When I get back, you should all know five new skills."

"You're not going to supervise?" Osamu asked his Sensei nervously.

"I'm going to leave some representatives to make sure things remain... cordial," he assured the boy. He got very close to Osamu and whispered, "If they get out of hand, do whatever you did to the dogs."

Osamu nodded, "Not sure it'll work, but I'll try."

Hiroto patted his student on the shoulder reassuringly. He then backed up and pricked his thumb on a hidden tack in his belt. A few hand seals later, he slapped his hand to the ground.

"Kuchiyose: Torakagai," he called out.

A large cloud of smoke puffed up, then blew away. Leaving three massive, bored looking tigers. Two were larger and the normal orange. The last was smaller, though still huge, and white between the stripes.

"Oh thank Kami!" one of the larger tigers exclaimed happily, "I swear if I had to listen to that tiny hairball drone on for any longer, I was gonna eat him."

"Please, Oodora," the other orange said to him, "You couldn't catch him with a weeks head start."

"Neither could you, Kodora" the now name Oodora bared his fangs at his counterpart.

"Well I could whoop you!" Kodora roared back.

Soon they were rolling around like a pair of toms fighting over a scrap of meat.

"I apologize for my brothers," the last tiger said to the teens, "They're fairly stupid. I'm Mouko."

"Good to see you, Mouko-san," Hiroto greeted warmly. He pointed to each of his students in turn, "This is my team. Sakibou Osamu, Shoudou Hotaka, and Hibaku Masaru."

A triumphant roar was heard as one of the wrestling tigers gained the upper hand. It was cut short when the other one bashed him in the face with a paw the size of a dinner table.

"And who are these two, Naruto-kun?" Mouko turned to the blondes team.

"They're my teammates," Naruto told her, "Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura."

The cracking of a large tree trunk drew everyone's attention. Kodora and Oodora had rolled into the treeline.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Mouko asked Hiroto, studiously ignoring her rambunctious brothers.

"I need you to keep an eye on them," Hiroto told her quietly, "Naruto's team doesn't get along so well, and my team has expressed a distaste for Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun on occasion. I just want you to make sure they don't come to blows."

"You know," Mouko laid down to bring head more level with the jonin, "We were accompanying our leader to a gathering of the Cat clans."

"Did I pull you away from something important?" Hiroto frowned in concern.

"Yes," Mouko confirmed, "And thank you for that. Oodora is not the only one who doesn't like Toraneko."

Hiroto snorted in amusement, but logged the new information about his otherwise mysterious summons away for further investigation.

"Thanks, Mouko-san," he leapt into the trees and sped away.

"So where do we start?" Sakura asked after he had gone. Glancing nervously at Mouko who simply lay there, tail swishing back and forth. The destructive scuffle between Kodora and Oodora continued unabated.

Masaru immediately took his chance, "Anyone else know how to set up a 'double jeopardy tripwire?'"

A chorus of no's and head shaking had him grinning like a loon, "You're gonna love this."

XxXxXxX

Kakashi's mind wandered into the past as he stared at the Memorial Stone. He saw again the death of his mentor, his own hand going through Rin's chest, and the friend he hadn't known he had until he was gone buried under tons of rock. He lived again in each of those terrible moments, wondering how different things would be had he acted differently.

His reverie was broken by the sound of soft footsteps. He recognized the cadence as belonging to Hiroto and knew the other jonin was essentially announcing his presence. He turned to greet his peer, but instead of Hiroto's plain face, he saw his knuckles in great detail. Kakashi was so stunned, he took the punch full in the face. He felt the cartilage in his nose crack, and blood begin to soak his mask.

Kakashi allowed himself to fall back and away from his strangely violent comrade. There had been no chakra enhancing the muscles behind the punch, so he figured this was a personal visit.

"Mind telling me what's crawled up your ass," Kakashi asked Hiroto in a nasally voice.

"Your team," Hiroto growled at him, "You're late to meetings, don't give them any training, and you've failed to give them any sort of cohesion."

"Ah," Kakashi pulled his mask off his face. The blood soaking it was making it difficult to breath, "You're here on Naruto's behalf, then?"

"You're damn right I am," Hiroto knelt next to Kakashi and activated his healing technique, "I didn't mean to lead off like that, but the thought of him dying because of your shoddy training pissed me off."

"Well, you got your point across," his voice was sounding better with Hiroto healing the damage he'd just done, "You could have just taken this to the Hokage and gotten me reassigned."

Hiroto finished up his work and handed Kakashi his canteen so he could wash the blood off his face, "I wanted to see what your problem was first."

Kakashi rubbed some water across his lower face, taking care around his still sore nose, "I think that's obvious. I'm terrible at being a Sensei. There's a reason I've failed every team I've been assigned."

Hiroto settled back on his haunches as Kakashi sat up. He finally got a good look at the face under the ever present mask. High cheek bones and thing lips were the only features that the mask really covered, and Hiroto was left wondering why Kakashi bothered with it. Probably to annoy others.

"Why pass Naruto then?" Hiroto asked seriously, "This isn't because I'm his guardian is it?"

Kakashi waved his hand dismissively, "You didn't even read into it. They reminded me of my old team, and I let that cloud my judgment."

"So you made a mistake," Hiroto shrugged, "Why not correct it?"

"I've been considering going to the Hokage and doing just that," Kakashi sighed and looked over at the Memorial Stone, "But every time I'm about to do it, one of them does or says something that takes me back..."

"Lost in the past," Hiroto shook his head, "That's a dangerous state of mind, Kakashi-san."

"What would you know about it?" the normally masked jonin shot back sharply, "The consequences for your biggest mistake were being taken in by a new village."

Instead of the anger Kakashi expected from Hiroto, the plain jonin laughed, "You think my biggest mistake was defecting from Kumo?"

"Wasn't it?" Kakashi wasn't so sure now.

"That was probably the best decision I ever made," Hiroto replied, "My mistake was participating in a massacre I knew was wrong. My hands are stained with the blood of the very clan I came here to protect."

"The Sakibou?" Kakashi had spent some time in ANBU babysitting Hiroto. He often observed the plain man looking in on the immigrants.

"That's right," Hiroto confirmed sadly, "I forgave myself a long time ago for betraying my native village. I will never be able to forgive myself for participating in that tragedy, though. It's not the only thing I have to regret, either."

Kakashi could only reply with silence.

"So what did you do, Kakashi-san?" Hiroto prodded him, "What did you do that was so terrible?"

Kakashi saw understanding in his peer's eyes. Hiroto was trying to help him, and that made this so much worse. Kakashi didn't want help; his pain was a penance. A punishment for leading Obito to his death and killing Rin to prevent Kiri from taking her. The only consolation he had was saving Rin from whatever terrible fate the Mist nin had for her.

"Go away, Hiroto-san," Kakashi muttered to him, "I will get the Hokage to find a better Sensei for Team Seven... today."

He tried to stand, but Hiroto had gripped his arm, "Tell me, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi briefly considered attacking his fellow jonin to get away, but Hiroto was truly a jonin now. It would be a tough fight, and would probably result in severe property damage. He sat back down and let out a shuddering breath.

"I killed them," he blurted out, "I killed my team. Uchiha Obito died because I couldn't see past my mission, and Nohara Rin was captured right under my nose. I ended up killing her, at her own request, to keep her out of enemy hands."

Hiroto gave a low whistle, "What about your Sensei?"

Kakashi waved his hand in the general direction of the Hokage Monument, "You know what happened to the Yondaime."

"Surely you don't blame yourself for that?" Hiroto asked incredulously.

"No, not his death," Kakashi answered with a tired sigh, "But I failed him in his last request. He wanted Naruto to be seen as a hero by the village for containing the Fox. Instead he was made a pariah, and I was too much of a coward to defend him."

Hiroto shook his head slowly, "I'll admit, that's some rough shit, Kakashi-san, but you have a chance to honor them. Why are you passing it up?"

Kakashi looked up at his peer with his eye slightly wide, "Honor them? I'll get my team killed the way we're going."

"So change course," Hiroto told him easily, "You'll need to stop brooding so much, though."

"That simple," Kakashi gave a bitter laugh, "Why didn't I ever think of that?"

"I didn't say it would be easy," the plain man shot back, "You said you were too much of a coward to help Naruto. Well now you can correct that mistake. Your team died because of your mistakes. Make sure no one on Team Seven ever has to go through that."

Hiroto made it sound so simple, but his team was already defunct, "Even if I did want to do all that, my team was untenable from the beginning. Naruto hates Sasuke and sets Sakura off, Sakura is too busy trying to get Sasuke's attention while trying to ignore Naruto, and Sasuke holds his teammates in contempt."

"What would you say the underlying problem is?" Hiroto asked him.

"Probably the attempted romance," Kakashi said immediately, "Same thing went on in my team. Girl wants one boy, other boy wants girl, and the first boy doesn't want anything to do with either of them."

"Konoha groups its genin teams male, male, female most of the time" Hiroto observed, "That for a reason?"

"It's to promote shinobi marriages and breeding," Kakashi told him, "There are unusual teams, though. Your team is one. There have been some rare two female, one male teams as well."

Hiroto nodded his understanding and began to turn the problem over in his mind.

"Why not implement a no-fraternization policy?" Hiroto finally suggested.

"What?" Kakashi didn't seem to understand.

"Have zero tolerance for any attempted relationships amongst your team," Hiroto explained further, "If any two of them want to spend time together, they damn well better be including the third."

"Sakura and Naruto would not like that in the least," Kakashi mused, "Sasuke would probably appreciate it."

"Make sure you punish even the slightest infractions harshly," Hiroto grinned evilly, "And include the whole team."

"That might actually work," Kakashi smirked slightly, running possible consequences through his mind.

"You'll have to stop being late," Hiroto warned him, "And start actually training your team."

Kakashi's face fell a little, and he glanced over at the etched stone. He could pick out three of the four names he mourned the most on it. The last had never been given the honor of being carved on it. He wasn't sure if he could handle the guilt and pain of three more names. He could wash his hands of them now, but he knew if they came to a bad end, he would always wonder if he could have helped them. He was boxed in by his own feelings.

"I'll try," he finally said, standing, "If I lapse back into old habits, I'll have the Old Man find them a new Sensei."

Hiroto got to his feet and clapped the taller man on the shoulder, "I'm sure you'll do fine."

XxXxXxX

Naruto carefully tied the spring action switches together so that a tug on the actual tripwire would set one off and a sudden loss of tension would activate the other, "Man this is _genius, _Masaru-san."

"Yea. This is pretty cool," Hotaka agreed, working with his own set-up.

"Don't give it so much play," Masaru said to Sasuke as he watched over his peers, "Good, Sakura-san. Don't forget that the tension in your tripwire is important, though."

"I can think of so many ways to use this," Naruto was giggling to himself.

"Like what Dobe?" Sasuke sneered slightly, "Didn't you almost fail this course?"

"Pft," Naruto blew off the insult, "While you were busy learning what I already knew, I was off setting all the coffee makers in the instructor break room to clog and spray water on anyone trying to fix them."

"Ah man!" Masru began laughing, "I remember Iruka-sensei grilled both of us for an hour and still couldn't figure out who did it."

"Wouldn't he know it was Naruto since he was gone?" Sakura asked.

"Nah," Masaru replied, "I was out setting up the snare trap that caught the headmaster."

"I got asked about that, too," Naruto fell back laughing, "That's when I began planning the big one."

"The Monument?" Osamu asked from where he was working.

"Yep!" Naruto confirmed proudly.

"That childish stuff is hardly something to be proud of," Sakura snapped at him angrily.

"Actually... managing to paint the whole Monument fast enough to not be caught until he was done is really impressive," Hotaka countered immediately.

"He's got you there," Sasuke muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sakura huffed and went back to her set-up even though she was done with it.

"How'd you manage that, anyway?" Masaru asked curiously.

Naruto gave a mischievous grin, "That's a great question. If everyone has the tripwires down, I'd like to show something next."

"What could you possibly teach us?" Sasuke asked incredulously.

"Well for one," Naruto sent his teammate a glare, "It took me two weeks to paint the whole Monument."

"Wait... what?" the other five managed to ask at the same time.

Naruto reached into his equipment pouch and drew out a folded beige cloth. He flicked it to reveal it was a large square about six feet to a side, "I give you the chameleon tarp!"

"We've seen that before, Naruto," Sakura growled in annoyance.

"Ah," Naruto held up a finger to forestall further protests, "But you have yet to see it in the hands of a master."

The rest of Team Seven seemed to deflate at his antics, but Team Five was smirking in amusement.

"You see," Naruto looked around as if searching for eavesdroppers and spies, "The tarp has properties the academy didn't tell us about."

"Like what?" Osamu asked curiously.

"First of all..." Naruto sent a charge of chakra through the tarp. The cloth went rigid in his hands, "Use your chakra right, and it goes stiff. You can then shape it however you want."

He demonstrated by carefully and skillfully molding the tarp into a rough uneven shape, "You have about five minutes to shape it before it goes completely rigid. Don't do this to all your tarps. Once they go rigid, you can't reshape them."

"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Sasuke asked when Naruto was done.

Naruto answered by picking up a small gray pebble and placing it on the cloth. When he sent a charge of chakra through the rock, the chameleon tarp took on its color and apparent texture.

"A boulder," Masaru nodded his head approvingly, "Did Hiroto-sensei teach you this?"

"He regrets it to this day," Naruto smiled again.

Osamu considered the disguised tarp and understanding lit in his eyes, "How many of these did you use to hide the paint on the Monument?"

"It took over a thousand," Naruto answered, his smile dropping to a smirk, "Nii-san got into the habit of requesting overstock from supply since merchants don't like to sell to us. He had no idea what to do with them all when supply dumped them on him, so he gave them to me."

"They just gave him a thousand chameleon tarps?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

"They were expired," Naruto explained, "The next charge put through them would change their color permanently."

"Why don't merchants like to sell to the two of you?" Sasuke was regarding Naruto with unusual interest.

"Um... well..." Naruto wasn't sure how to answer that.

"Because I defected from another village around the time the six of you were born, "Hiroto hopped down into the clearing and smiled at the genin, "Learn anything useful?"

His students and Naruto nodded, but Sakura and Sasuke were staring at him.

"Is there something on my face?" Hiroto asked, patting his hands across it.

"Uh... n-no," Sakura managed to say finally.

"They weren't any trouble were they?" the jonin called over to his summons, who were laying together. Mouko was currently grooming one of her younger brother while the other dozed.

The great white tiger turned her violet eyes to them, "Relatively quiet considering Naruto-kun was here. Do you need us for anything else?"

"No thank you, Mouko," he waved to the tigers, "Seeya, Oodora, Kodora."

They popped out of existence, leaving only smoke in their place.

"Sensei," Osamu got his teacher's attention, "We only got through two people before you got back."

Hiroto nodded his understanding, "That's fine. I had a talk with Kakashi-san earlier and we decided this should be a regular occurrence. Maybe once a week."

"Finally learning stuff!" Naruto cheered happily.

"You're all dismissed for the day," he informed them, "Naruto, I have some business to take care of tonight. Go on home without me."

"Okay, Nii-san," he began to trot away. He turned to yell back, "Will you be home for dinner?"

"I should be," the jonin shouted after the blonde.

The rest of the genin began to leave except for Sakura. Hiroto almost walked away when he noticed she was still there.

"Is there something wrong, Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"I... I don't think I have anything useful to teach the others," she hung her head dejectedly.

"What do you mean?" Hiroto furrowed his brow, "You were the top kunoichi of your class."

"I was," she agreed, "But they all seem to have stuff from outside the academy, and my strongest areas were all academic..."

"You don't think you have any practical skills?" his brows went up in interest, "I'm sure there's something you could pass along."

"Nothing unique like Masaru-san or even Naruto," she admitted. He was surprised that she would give any credit to the blonde. The way she normally acted around him, you would think he didn't exist except as an annoyance.

"How's your chakra control?" he asked after some thought.

"Iruka-sensei said it was the best he'd ever seen," she replied with a hint of pride.

"Good," he retrieved an empty scroll and a pen from a pocket. He scribbled out thorough instructions along with some sketches to help her along. When he handed it to her, she gaped at the detail.

"That's Naosu no Jutsu," he told her, "It's the most basic medical jutsu there is. Done right, it will give you an idea of the most overt damage and allow you to repair it."

"B-but why?" she finally asked after finding her voice, "I'm not your student."

"You're Naruto's teammate," he shrugged, "You might save his life one day with that."

"I don't know what to say..." she was still a bit stunned. Even for a basic technique it was rare for someone to pass on such information without some sort of established relationship.

"Tell you what," Hiroto put a hand on her shoulder, "Treat Naruto with a bit more respect and patience and we'll call it even."

He saw shame flash across her face, "I don't mean to snap at him all the time. He just has a way of getting on my nerves."

"He does have a talent for getting under people's skin," Hiroto agreed with a smirk, "You won't find a more loyal ally, though. Maybe if you can get past that wall he puts up, you'll even find a friend."

Hiroto left then, and Sakura found herself wondering exactly what he meant my the wall Naruto put up. He'd always just seemed like a hyperactive idiot, but just today he proved he was resourceful and creative to a certain degree.

She began to make her way home, wondering all the while what the blonde knucklehead could be hiding behind that smile of his.

* * *

A/N: And that ends chapter 18. I really don't know what possessed me to write so much for it, but I was compelled to keep going. Like I'm always saying a chapter's done when it's done, and this one demanded more out of me than usual. Hopefully the next one won't be as... consuming.


	22. Kakashi-sensei

Before reading this, I have to explain a fubar I made a couple of weeks ago. In the midst of editing the last chapter, I managed to cut out a scene. That scene was completely lost, and I had a choice to make. Either I could leave it be, or I could rewrite it and admit the mistake. I have chosen the latter option.

Parts of this chapter won't make complete sense without that scene. I urge you to go back to Transition Part 2: Among Friends and read the scene added onto the end. It is clearly marked so you won't have to dig for it. Happy reading.

* * *

Naruto yawned as he meandered his way to the bridge where his team always met in the mornings. He was about fifteen minutes late, but it didn't matter since his Sensei wouldn't be around until three hours later.

When he made it to the bridge, Sakura and Sasuke were already there.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" he said brightly.

He got no answer, and that set off a warning bell in his head. Even in her worst mood, Sakura always said _something _back. He realized that his two teammates were staring at something. Something that they could not process, for their faces were a mix of terror and disbelief.

"What's wrong with you two?" he asked curiously.

Sasuke finally pointed to a tree on the other side of the bridge. Naruto followed the line of the appendage to see a man, no... an imposter leaning against the tree reading a little orange book. It had to be an imposter, because there was no way Kakashi would ever be this early.

Not long after Naruto noticed him, the imposter-Kakashi snapped his book shut and walked over to them.

"You're fifteen minutes late, Naruto," he said tonelessly, "We'll figure out what to do abut that later."

"Who are you?" Naruto demanded sharply, "What have you done with our Sensei?"

"Umm..." Kakashi scratched his head, "I am your Sensei?"

"No way," Sakura backed up a few steps, "Kakashi-sensei is never on time. You were already here when I arrived..."

"Sakura is always early, too," Sasuke added, "There's no way you're Kakashi."

The jonin sighed in frustration. He couldn't much complain about this, though. He'd brought it on himself.

"Naruto, I defeated you with 'A Thousand Years of Death,'" he turned to Sakura, "Sakura, I used a genjutsu showing you your greatest fear. Sasuke, I buried you up to your neck."

"You could have spied on our genin test," Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"I suppose I should be happy the three of you are questioning my sudden change of habits," Kakashi allowed, "But we are going to go get a mission now. If I'm an imposter, the Hokage will spot it immediately."

He watched as his team exchanged wary looks, then nodded as one.

"Alright," Sakura said for them, "Let's go."

XxXxXxX

The knock sounded again, more insistently this time.

"I'm coming!" Ren shouted in exasperation. If it hadn't been for Zuki, she wouldn't have even known she had a visitor. They just had to show up while she was doing her morning routine in the garden.

She opened the door to see a white-eyed, raven-haired man in plain brown robes. He had a cloth with the Hyuuga clan symbol on it tied across his forehead.

"Sakibou Ren?" he asked politely. She nodded and he continued, "A message for Sakibou Osamu."

He offered her a small but ornate scroll. She figured it cost almost a thousand ryo on its own.

She took it hesitantly, "Who is it from?"

"Hiashi-sama," the messenger answered, "He wished to thank the boy."

The man turned and left without another word, leaving a stunned Ren wondering what the hell her brother had done to earn the gratitude of a clan patron.

XxXxXxX

The mission had been simple, if long and boring. Painting some old biddy's fence and pulling the weeds in her garden. Naruto had sped things up as much as possible with his clones, but he could only throw so many bodies at the problem before they started getting in the way.

Eventually he settled on five to help him paint the fence while Sakura and Sasuke weeded the garden. He hadn't wanted to leave her alone with the bastard, but Naruto had tried multiple times to pull up some important plant and been kicked out of the garden. Kakashi sat on the roof of the woman's house reading that damnable book of his, but he also had a pen and pad. He seemed to be making a tally of something.

Finally they returned to the tower for their pay. The three genin turned to go their own ways when Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Where are the three of you going?" he asked.

"This is when we usually split up," Sasuke told their Sensei. His tone of voice said a lot about what he thought of the man's intelligence at the moment.

"Not today," Kakashi replied with that strange eye-smile of his, "We're going to eat lunch together."

"What?" all three teens asked at once.

"So where should we go?" he pondered, ignoring their incredulous looks, "Naruto, if you say Ichiraku, I will demonstrate 'A Thousand Years of Death' on you again."

Naruto's big smile turned to one of nervousness, "I was just gonna say how tired I was of it..."

"How about barbecue?" Sakura offered hesitantly.

"That sounds good," Kakashi said brightly, "Sasuke?"

All the Uchiha provided was a noncommittal grunt.

"Alright," the jonin began to make his way down the road, whipping out his orange smut on the way, "Barbecue it is."

Arriving at the restaurant, Naruto began to get nervous. He had never actually tried to go to such an establishment in his years alone, and Hiroto had only ever taken him to Ichiraku. He had no experience with these places, but he had an idea how this was going to play out.

As soon as they entered, things began going about how he predicted.

"I'm sorry," the too friendly host said apologetically, "We can't seat you at this time."

While the place was busy for the lunch rush, there were still plenty of tables free, and the staff didn't look too harried. The sandy haired young man seemed to grow a little uneasy when they didn't immediately leave.

"And why is that?" Kakashi matched the young man's tone in a way that obviously set the host on edge.

"Y-you know why, sir," the employee replied, faltering only once. His eyes flicked to Naruto, and Kakashi turned his own to regard the normally rambunctious boy. Kakashi approached the host, wrapped an arm around him, and began leading him away.

"Let me talk to you in private real quick about accommodating us," Kakashi's face was twisted into that eye-smile of his, "Wait here, team."

They walked well out of ear shot, and it was clear the man wanted nothing to do with Kakashi. After some distance, they broke apart and faced one another. Kakashi's face never fell from its friendly mien, but the host's face began getting paler and paler.

"What's up with Sensei?" Sakura asked as she watched, "First he's _early_, then he drags us all to lunch. He's acting funny..."

"I maintain that isn't Kakashi," Sasuke muttered just loud enough for his team to hear.

"Jiji didn't call him out at the tower," Naruto countered his dark eyed teammate, "The other shinobi we've passed seem to think its him, too."

Their conversation was cut short as their Sensei and the host returned. Kakashi was still smiling, and the host was following suit, but it looked forced. His face was white as a sheet, and his eyes were fearful.

"If you'll follow me," his voice broke a little, "I'll show you to your table."

After they were seated and their orders taken, Sakura finally asked, "Sensei, what did you say to that man? And why wouldn't he seat us before?"

"Sakura," Kakashi replied seriously, "There are things you just shouldn't know right now."

"I don't get it," Sasuke fixed his eyes on the jonin, "What the hell is this all about?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Kakashi replied innocently.

"Showing up early," Naruto began to tick off, "Sticking around for our D-rank, dragging us to lunch..."

"You should know, Naruto," the cyclops told him, "You're the one who caused this."

"I was?" the blonde asked in surprise and confusion.

"You were?" his teammates asked incredulously.

"Sure," Kakashi confirmed, "Hiroto-san was quite... blunt about how he thought I should be handling this team. He was right on a few accounts."

There was something in the way he said that that had each of the genin shuddering slightly. They got the distinct impression that they were about to see a side of their Sensei they never wanted to.

XxXxXxX

Lunch was followed by lecture and general instruction. A run down of what they would be covering in the following weeks; chakra control mostly. It wasn't until they were done that things got bad for them.

"Alright," Kakashi kipped up from his sitting position, "This is the part of the day where we do physical training."

His overly happy tone had them on edge once again.

"I should note that this is also where any breaking of my rules will be punished," he added.

"What are your rules, Sensei?" Sakura asked nervously, "You haven't ever mentioned any."

"No one asked till now," he smiled at the groans he heard, "Rule one: be on time... Yes I will be following that. Rule two: respect me and your teammates. Rule three: no fraternization."

"What's fraternosason?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

"It means no dating your teammates," Kakashi answered evenly, "It also includes longing looks, requests for dates, and ignoring a teammate in favor of another."

Two looks of horror were counterpointed by a look of hope.

"By my tally," he whipped out the notepad he'd been marking in all day, "Naruto was fifteen minutes late, has asked Sakura out five times, has glared at Sasuke twenty three times, called him 'bastard' twenty seven times, and looked at Sakura longingly twelve times. Thats... eighty two total infractions."

"WHAT!" Naruto cried, "You're punishing me for things I didn't know I shouldn't be doing!?"

"When did you make the effort to find out?" Kakashi asked in a merciless tone, "The punishment is 8.2 kilometers of running and 820 squats, sit-ups, and push-ups."

A snort of amusement came from Sasuke.

"That's one more for duck-butt," Kakashi fixed his unforgiving stare on the Uchiha, "That brings the tally to thirty seven looks of contempt at either teammate, calling Naruto names twenty five times, finding amusement in your teammates' misfortune thirteen times, and not referring to me as 'Sensei' five times. Eighty infractions... I'm sure you can do the math."

"What's my total, Sensei?" Sakura asked in a subdued tone, "I think I can imagine what I did wrong over the day."

"Good," he told her, "you had ninety three infractions."

Naruto gave a low whistle, "That's rough Sakura-chan."

"Oh by the way," Kakashi gave them a big smile, "Each of those punishments is for the whole team. So you each have to run 25.5 kilometers and do 2550 sit-ups, squats, and push-ups."

"How is that fair!?" Naruto cried indignantly.

"It's not," Kakashi deadpanned, "But it _is_ realistic. In the field, when you make a mistake, the whole team pays for it. That's why I'll be sharing your punishment. Let's start with 250 squats."

XxXxXxX

Osamu had barely gotten through the door before his sister was grilling him.

"What the hell did you do this time?" she asked in a tone that suggested anything less than the truth would earn him an extended endurance training session.

"Well," he made a show of thinking, then said sarcastically, "Today, I ate breakfast. After that I went to meet my team..."

She thwacked him over the head with a scroll he hadn't noticed earlier, "Can it, smart-ass. I mean, what did you do to get a personal message for Hyuuga Hiashi?"

Osamu blinked a few times in surprise. He opened his mouth to answer, then it clicked shut. It did this a couple more times.

"You don't know?" Ren asked him, getting frustrated.

"I'm pretty sure I know," Osamu explained, "I'm just not sure if telling you will be good for my health."

She groaned, "Osamu... he invited you to dinner."

"Well that doesn't sound too bad..." he ventured carefully.

She thwacked him again, "I wanted us to remain obscure until we were ready to petition for clan status. You go and get the attention of arguably the strongest clan in the whole damn village. I want to know _how_."

"I kinda gave them a scroll detailing their tactical weaknesses," he smiled sheepishly at her.

Her shoulders dropped, "You what? Osamu... you don't know anything about tactics. You're a social infiltrator."

"I didn't get the information myself," he said defensively, "One of the branch members snuck me inside to see Hinata-chan. All I had to do in return was pass along his complaints as if I were making the observations."

"This didn't seem like a terrible idea at the time?" she gripped his shoulders, "Osa-kun... people have been assassinated for insults like that."

Osamu's face grew pale, "I can just turn down the invitation."

"And risk insulting them further?" she squeezed his shoulders, "No... you have to go."

"But..." his pupils were dilating from anxiety.

"No 'buts', Osamu," she sighed heavily, "You brought this on yourself."

"You could go with me," he said desperately.

She shook her head, "The invitation is just for you. Hopefully it's a sincere gesture and not a reason to get you on their grounds where Konoha's laws don't apply."

Osamu gulped, "I'm so dead."

"Don't be so grim," she tried to encourage him, "You aren't without allies."

"Hinata-chan is great and all," Osamu looked at her incredulously, "But I doubt she can help me if Hiashi-sama wants me dead."

"I was thinking about someone else," she smiled in triumph and began to put on her sandals.

"Who?" Osamu asked in confusion.

"I'll be back," she told him before rushing out the door.

"I am so dead..." Osamu muttered.

XxXxXxX

The sun was touching the horizon when he finally let them go. He'd only had them do five hundred each of the exercises along with a five kilometer run, but Sakura was struggling by then. He had refused to go any faster than the slowest individual. He found it unsurprising that Naruto tried to encourage her while Sasuke chomped at the proverbial bit.

"Naruto, could I talk to you a moment?" he called out to the tired blonde before he got away.

He saw the boy stop, heave a sigh, and turn around, "What is it, Sensei?"

"You need to give Sasuke a little more leeway," Kakashi said seriously, "His life hasn't exactly been easy."

"Neither has mine," Naruto shot back petulantly, "I'm not a complete ass all the time."

"No," his Sensei agreed, "Instead you're a one man circus that will do anything to get attention."

Naruto gaped at his assessment so Kakashi plowed on, "Sasuke has chosen to deal with his problems by shutting others out. If you really want to annoy him, stop making him so successful."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, recovering from his Sensei's harsh words.

"I guarantee you'll bother him a whole lot more if you make an effort to be his friend," Kakashi explained.

Naruto took on a pensive pose and stayed that way for a full two minutes. He finally nodded in agreement, "That actually sounds pretty funny."

The jonin had to make an effort not to cackle evilly. Considering the conversation over he turned to leave, but was stopped by Naruto's voice.

"Why did you do that?" Naruto asked in an unusually subdued tone, "In the restaurant I mean."

"Why did I threaten a harmless civilian in your defense?" Kakashi looked back to see his student nodding, "Let's just say I owed it to an old friend."

He leapt away before Naruto could question him further.

XxXxXxX

"Naruto," Hiroto finally asked when his curiosity couldn't be contained anymore, "What the hell are you doing?"

Naruto had barely touched his food in favor of the little pad he'd been staring at all night. Every now and then, a devious look would cross his face, and he would write something down.

"Hmm?" the blond looked up from the notepad he had been scribbling in, "Oh... just brainstorming."

"Brainstorming what?" Hiroto furrowed his brow in worry, "You aren't planning a prank are you?"

"Not exactly," the boy answered, "I'm trying to figure out ways to be nicer to Sasuke."

Hiroto stared at Naruto like he had a second head, "What?"

"I can annoy him more that way," Naruto explained with an mischievous look, "It'll be awesome."

Hiroto continued to stare as Naruto went back to his evil plot to be nice to Sasuke.

XxXxXxX

The next day provided no end of hilarity for the normally blase jonin. Naruto could be amazingly subtle when he wanted to be. The blonde didn't really change the way he talked to or treated Sasuke, but there were subtle acts throughout the day that left the Uchiha survivor confused on multiple occasions. A 'good job' here, an offer of help there... every instance left dark eyes narrowed in suspicion. It had the side benefit of Sakura acting nicer to Naruto; at least until he managed to set her temper off.

Naruto's minor acts of kindness resulted in the normally sulky teen to become almost outright hostile, earning the whole team even more exercise. The other two, while still struggling overall with the new rules, managed to only add, relatively, minor amounts to the already ludicrous pile. At the end of the day, they were looking at over fifty kilometers and five thousand reps.

Finally, after their round of punishment, Kakashi stopped Sasuke before he could run off. He'd steered Naruto towards working with the team; it was only logical to do the same with the more intractable member of the team.

"What do you want," he asked tiredly, then added as an afterthought, "Sensei."

Kakashi decided to let it slide, "Your looks of contempt are getting more and more clandestine. Another couple of years and I won't be able to notice them."

"If you're just going to mock me," Sasuke turned as if to leave, but Kakashi placed a hand on his should and forcefully turned him around.

"They've never betrayed you, so stop punishing them like they have," he said to the boy.

Sasuke looked as if he'd been struck. The shock vanished quickly, but Kakashi knew he had him off balance.

"Don't look so surprised, Sasuke," Kakashi chuckled a little, "I know what you're doing because I used to do it to my own team."

"Please," Sasuke fixed a sneer on his face, "One's an idiot, and the other is weak. It's got nothing to do with anything else."

"Tell yourself whatever you want, Sasuke," Kakashi released him, "One day, you'll find yourself wishing you had taken my advice. I lost the only family I had when I was young, and spent the following years pushing away people who were trying to help me. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret it."

His student gave a snort of derision and walked away, but not before Kakashi saw the loneliness in Sasuke's eyes. He'd planted a seed of thought; he could only hope it would grow.

XxXxXxX

As ordered by his sister, Osamu had left training early that day to prepare for his dinner at the Hyuuga compound. He felt like he was going to his own funeral. When he got home, Ren rushed him into the bathroom and told him to scrub until he was raw. After he was done, he found some new clothes waiting for him in his room.

They were similar in style to the formal outfit he'd worn for the lantern ceremony, but brighter in color. The shirt was the color of cream with jade trim and embroidered with two jade tigers stalking down the front, mirroring each other. The pants were the same green color. They were just dark enough to help obscure the size of his thighs. He wondered if his sister knew he would be the brightest thing in the whole compound.

As he was putting it on, he noted there were at least fifteen different places to hide small blades, all of which were full.

"I don't think the Hyuuga will appreciate me sneaking kunai in," he shouted through his door.

"They'll expect it," Ren countered from somewhere in the house, "You _are _a shinobi."

"Always prepared," he smirked at her logic as he left his room. He found her at the front door with some fresh wraps for his feet.

"Exactly," she smiled at his appearance, "At least you'll make a good impression."

"If they aren't planning to kill me," he muttered.

"I'll be nearby," she assured him, "Zuki is sure he can command our squatters."

Osamu managed a chuckle at the thought of hundreds of stray cats running rampant over the austere Hyuuga compound. Not so funny would be the ten large hunting cats.

"I suppose I should go," Osamu squared himself, "The letter did say 'precisely eighteen hundred.'"

"Good luck, Osa-kun," she rubbed his fuzzy head, "Don't do anything stupid."

XxXxXxX

Hinata dragged herself into her room still sore from the unusually... vigorous morning training. The day had been no easier. Kurenai had been talking about them taking on their first C-rank mission, and was ramping up their training to get them ready. All Hinata wanted was to shower and sleep; food be damned. A knock at her door prevented her from making it to her bathroom, though.

"Yes?" she asked tiredly.

The door opened to reveal one of her maids, a young branch member whose eyes were a normal shade of green with visible pupils.

"Hinata-sama," she greeted politely, "Hiashi-sama wishes for you to be ready to greet an honored guest."

Hinata sighed deeply, looks like she would be putting off sleep for a while, "H-how long do I h-have?"

"About half an hour," the maid replied.

It wasn't a lot, but Hinata could be ready in time with help.

"G-get a kimono r-ready, please," she requested as she rushed into her bathroom.

The shower was short, but it eased her soreness a bit. She came out feeling more up to her task.

Her maid had laid out a simple azure kimono with a black obi. The maid helped her into it, then made sure her hair was dry and set in its normal style.

After that was done, Hinata made her way to the front gate just in time to see it opening to admit someone.

"Well don't you just look pretty," her wizened great uncle Juro commented with a smirk.

"J-jujii?" she looked on confused, "I thought y-you w-were staying in th-the medic b-barracks."

"I am," he confirmed, "Thought I would stop by and see how the clan was doing."

She smiled softly at him. She rarely got to see her favorite relative.

"Haruki hasn't been too hard on you has he?" Juro asked coming forward to embrace her.

"Ojii-sama d-does what he m-must," she hedged. The brothers did not get along well at all.

"Might as well go find him," Juro's face grew sour, "Kami knows the bastard will hear about my arrival soon enough."

She watched him go with apprehension. Fights between the estranged brothers were legendary.

"I didn't know you were so closely related to Doctor Juro," a voice behind her said. Its proximity made her jump slightly. When she turned around, she saw a smiling Osamu, "How's it going, Hinata-chan."

She was about to send him away with her apologies, but then she noticed his clothing, "Osa-k-kun, why are y-you dressed l-like that."

"I know it's brighter than usual," he looked down at the shirt, "But I kinda like it. You look nice."

"Th-thank you," she blushed a little, "What are y-you doing h-here?"

"Hiashi-sama invited me to dinner," he replied nervously.

Hinata's eyes widened as she realized Osamu was the 'honored guest,' and that scared her. She didn't want him to see how cold her family was. Still... she had a duty to preform.

"W-welcome to our h-home," she bowed to him.

"It is an honor to be here," he replied with his own bow. Hopefully he would keep up that level of courtesy and not alienate her father.

She led him to the main house and into the dining room. She found her sister dressed in a deep green kimono with a lighter green obi already seated at the table.

"Th-this is m-my imouto, Hanabi," she introduced with apprehension. The young girl was prone to discourteous behavior where non-Hyuuga were concerned, "Hanabi, this is Sakibou Osamu."

"You have strange eyes," Hanabi managed to confirm her fears.

"H-hanabi!" she tried to sound scolding, but her stutter ruined the effect.

"You're eyes are stranger," Osamu countered the girl, "At least I have pupils."

"We have pupils," Hanabi was suddenly defensive, "You just can't see them..."

Hinata had to suppress a giggle at how easily Osamu had put her little sister in her place.

Before the conversation could go on, her father entered followed by her great-uncle and grandfather. Neither looked too happy about the others presence, but Juro did have a look of triumph in his eyes. He sent a wink at Osamu that seemed to calm his nerves a great deal.

"Hiashi-sama," Osamu bowed deeply to the clan leader, "Thank you for the honor of sitting at your table."

Hiashi inclined his head to acknowledge him. He indicated his two older relatives, "Hyuuga Hiruka and Hyuuga Juro. Please sit."

Not long after they had done so, multiple branch members covered the table with food and drink. Everyone waited, staring at Osamu. Finally Hinata nudged him with her elbow, causing him to jump. He got the hint, though, and began to pull things from the platters onto his own plate. After he had made his first choice, everyone else followed suit.

Normally their meal would pass with little conversation, but circumstances were unusual.

"So what'd you do to have to suffer through this?" Juro asked from across the table.

"Juro!" his brother reprimanded sharply.

"Oh shut-up, Hiruka," Juro waved him off, earning himself a death glare, "I'm trying to be welcoming to our guest. You know... make conversation."

"He provided us with information important to the safety of the clan," Hiashi answered for Osamu. He sent a quick glare at the two older Hyuuga.

"Just trying to be helpful," Osamu gave a sheepish laugh.

"You were successful," Hiashi replied, "My new security chief, Ko-san, tells me the holes in our defenses will be taken care in a few more days."

"Glad to hear it," Osamu replied. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"Well orange is a weird color for eyes," Hanabi finally broke the quiet, earning some odd looks from the older people.

"Not as strange as white," Osamu countered immediately without thinking. He realized his misstep a moment later and said, "No offense."

"Our eyes have long been a mark of our clan," Hiashi claimed, dismissing the insult easily, "Strange features are often a sign of strength in this world."

"The color is amber, Hanabi-chan," Juro mock-whispered to the young girl, causing her some indignation at being corrected.

"What do you know, Jujii," she shot back petulantly, "You are branch."

"He is also your elder by many years and a talented doctor," Hiashi gave his daughter a cold look, "You will show him respect, Hanabi."

The girl looked down at her food after the reprimand and remained quiet.

"I am told you keep a pet with you," Hiashi looked back at Osamu questioningly.

"Yancha isn't a pet," the boy replied, somewhat sharply, "She's mischievous as hell, though. I figured it would be best if she didn't come with me."

"Probably just as filthy as those damn dogs," Hiruka muttered to himself.

Osamu looked at the old man, and for a moment, Hinata feared he would say something. He let the comment pass, though.

"A familiar, then," Hiashi corrected himself, "I do not see such a small creature being overly useful in combat."

"Yancha has her tricks," Osamu smirked at the man, "She's actually already saved my life once."

"What?" Juro interrupted, "Thought I told you to stay out of direct conflict."

"It was during my genin test," Osamu's face grew solemn and sad, "Sensei miscalculated the challenge."

"Damn irresponsible of a Sensei," Juro growled out, "Taking fresh genin into a prison."

"You were tested at the prison?" Hiruka looked at Osamu directly for the first time that evening, "What for?"

Hinata watched as a number of emotions crossed over Osamu's face. Guilt, sadness, anger, shame; they all seemed to war for control of him.

"I..." he stopped, took a deep breath and continued, "I fought and killed a chakra savant."

The only sound was of Juro still eating. He apparently already knew about this.

"You are already blooded?" Hiashi asked. Hinata could hear the slightest bit of remorse in his voice.

Osamu could only nod in reply. His eyes kept darting to look at Hinata, and she realized that he was afraid of what she thought of him now. She knew all too well the fear that people might scorn you for your actions, so she smiled at him to try to put him at ease.

"You don't seem so strong," Hanabi finally broke her silence, "How did you win?"

"H-hanabi," Hinata gave her sister a warning look, "C-can't you see h-he doesn't w-wish to discuss it?"

"No," Osamu looked over at Hinata, "I'll answer her. I used my greater agility and genjutsu to keep away from him."

"That wouldn't work against a Hyuuga," she boasted proudly, "Genjutsu doesn't work on us."

"Is that so?" he asked, but his voice emanated from directly behind the girl, causing her to jump and spill rice over herself.

"Osa-k-kun!" Hinata scolded him, looking at her father to gauge how angry he would be.

"Impressive," Hiashi said instead, "You did that with no hand seals."

"It was just a quick auditory illusion," Osamu shrugged, "I can do visual like that, too."

He demonstrated by having one of the jade tigers on his shirt come to life and leap onto the table.

"Parlor tricks," Hiruka sniffed in derision.

"He's twelve, you ass," Juro glared at his brother.

"Show some respect," the older sibling glared right back.

"Or what?" Juro smirked in triumph, "Maybe if you had applied it correctly you could force me, but you botched the branding."

"I can do a lot better," Osamu interrupted them suddenly, before Hiruka could continue the conflict. Hinata could have hugged him for that. He had unwittingly prevented the older Hyuuga from revealing the clan's worst aspect to him.

Osamu began to make hand seals, and the tiger began to grow and change color to match its real counterparts. Hinata noted that the dishes on the table were displaced or even knocked off by the growing beast. Once it reached full size, it roared majestically causing everything to rattle. Osamu released the illusion suddenly, and everything was back in its proper place.

Hiashi nodded in approval, "A fine, if ostentatious, display. I suppose you can be more subtle, though."

"Of course," Osamu agreed, "I was taught by the best."

The meal wound on without much more incident. Afterwords, Hinata rose to show Osamu out.

"I will show our guest out, Hinata," Hiashi told her, "You may go."

She felt a stab of apprehension, but Osamu gave her an encouraging smile, "Bye, Hinata-chan."

Osamu matched his hosts slow pace as they made a roundabout path to the gate.

"You were watching us carefully, Osamu-san," Hiashi said after a few moments, "What is it you were looking for?"

"Why Hinata-chan is the way she is," the boy answered honestly.

"And did you attain this knowledge?" Hiashi continued to question him.

"Not really," Osamu told him, "I have more info to work with, though."

"You care about her well-being," the man observed.

Osamu nodded in agreement, "Of course I do. I'm her friend."

"A good one, it would seem," Hiashi noted, "You may continue your friendship with her."

"Honestly, Hiashi-sama, I would only stop if she told me to," Osamu's voice wavered a bit, but he managed to keep his face and body language under control, "You know that, right."

Hiashi graced him with a smirk, no more than a quirking of his lips, "I figured as much, but my approval is more for her benefit. It is... important to her."

They came to the gate and Hiashi turned to look at his guest, "Tell Ren-san I respect her wish to protect you, but that bringing a small army of felines was unnecessary."

"How..." Osamu began to ask, but he stopped and smiled sardonically, "Right... the eyes."

He left after a final bow to his host, and sighed in relief when the gate shut behind him. If the Hyuuga never invited him back in, it would still be too soon. He would try to get Hinata out of there every chance he got, though.

XxXxXxX

Exhausted. Totally and completely exhausted. That was the only way to describe how she felt at the moment. Sakura watched as her fellow teammates trudged off after the grueling exercise they had done. Footsteps sounded nearby, and her vision was suddenly filled with the covered face of Kakashi.

"This level of physical training should leave you tired, not wiped," he told her, "This is only the third day."

He reached down and dragged her up to a sitting position by the arms.

"How much more do we have?" she asked wearily.

"Let's see," he opened that damnable notepad of his, "Over forty kilometers now."

It made her want to cry, but she was too tired. She settled for dropping her head.

"Sakura," Kakashi lifted her face by the chin, "Are you getting enough to eat?"

"Yea," she said immediately.

"I don't believe you," he replied, "Five hundred isn't a lot of reps for a shinobi, and five kilometers is nothing."

"Maybe for you," she shot back angrily.

"The past three days, I've seen you barely touch your food at lunch," Kakashi told her, "I get the feeling you are doing the same for breakfast and dinner."

"What do you care how I eat?" she continued bite back at him.

"Because your health could mean the difference between life and death," he said matter-of-factly, "If you were watching your weight for some silly self-image reason, stop it."

"You can't..." she began to counter him.

"Oh I can," he interrupted before she could finish, "You will start logging everything you eat and turning it in to me at the end of the week. If I find you haven't been eating enough, I'll take you off active duty for health reasons."

"WHAT!?" she cried in disbelief.

"Considering how much physical activity we get, I suggest you try for at least three thousand calories a day," he continued as if she hadn't said anything.

"I can't do that!" she gaped at him, "I'll balloon up!"

"Sakura," he shook his head, "Why are you so worried about your weight."

"Uh..." she became suddenly quiet.

"If this has to do with Sasuke, I'll give you a free pass," he informed her, "Just this once."

"I heard him muttering one day about needing a healthy partner to reestablish his clan," she replied with a deep blush.

Kakashi palmed his face, "That kid needs some serious help before he's ready for anything like that."

"What do you mean?" she asked him curiously.

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi replied with a sigh, "Look... thin does not mean healthy. How many calories are you getting a day."

"Fifteen hundred maybe," she answered after some thought.

"Up it to twenty-five hundred," he ordered, "In about two months I want you taking in forty-five."

"But..."

"No, Sakura, " he stopped her, "If you don't do that, you won't ever make any progress. Either eat more, or get off my team."

He stood from his squat and walked off, leaving a stunned Sakura behind.

* * *

I reckoned the average caloric intake of an active shinobi would be close to that of an Army diver. A good friend of mine was taking in about 4000 a day and was still only 170 pounds during his training (they do ludicrous amounts of physical training). I figure shinobi do at least as much exercise and need more to support chakra production. That raises the question, though, of how the Akimichi manage to maintain their husky physiques. They probably consume something close to 10000 calories a day. That's the low end of what actual sumo wrestlers get. This story has gotten me research some odd topics...


	23. To the Land of Waves

I'm what... two weeks late on this chapter? My teachers have a way of syncing up important assignments so that I get swamped at one point during the semester. Kinda suck, but what can you do? I'm gonna try to get caught back up after finals. We'll see how that works out.

* * *

"Glad to see you could all make it on such short notice," the Hokage said pleasantly as he entered the meeting room, "Shikaku-san, please explain why we have called this meeting."

The eyes of five clan heads, three village elders, and the Hokage turned on the lazy jonin-commander.

He grumbled a moment about old men dumping off work on him as he pulled a large scroll from under the table. He unrolled for every one to see a large map of their country with a few surrounding areas.

"We've had a couple of mission requests come in involving a small group of islands to the south of us," Shikaku droned out, "One was from a bridge builder a few days ago, and the other we received anonymously by messenger hawk."

"Do the mission requests conflict with one another?" Koharu asked as soon as he was done.

"No," Sarutobi answered for Shikaku, "But the information provided for each mission tells a different story for the area, the Land of Waves."

"How so?" Homura voiced the question on everyone's mind.

"Our first request came from an architect by the name of Tazuna," Shikaku informed them, "He wants a team of shinobi to protect him and his bridge while he constructs it. He's worried about bandits and thugs."

"We were about to assign a genin team to him when the second request came in," the Hokage took over, "The message detailed the operations of a man name Gato and requested we disrupt them."

"What seems to be the issue, then?" Tsume asked grumpily. It was a well known she hated these meetings.

"According to the anonymous letter, Gato is a shipping magnate with a strangle hold on Wave's economy," Shikaku answered, "Tazuna-san is building a bridge to the mainland..."

"Which will topple the monopoly," Inoichi finished for his long-time friend, "Tazuna-san isn't just worried about bandits, then. This Gato wants him dead."

"We came to the same conclusion," the Hokage agreed, "I had an ANBU team nearby that was wrapping up a mission, so I had them look in on the situation there. They just got in last night, and they've submitted their official report. Danzo-san?"

Danzo flipped open a folder in front of him and thumbed through a few pages, "Here we are. 'Average citizens living in destitution. Thugs, presumably employed by Gato, keep the peace and strong-arm anyone who speaks out against the businessman. Severe unrest. Possible uprising soon.'"

"Their primary mission was time sensitive, so they didn't have more than a day," the Hokage explained after Danzo was done, "What they did see painted a far grimmer picture than Tazuna-san, and confirmed the unknown messenger's words."

"So turn Tazuna away," Tsume said with a shrug, "Won't be the first time we sent a dishonest client packing."

"That would be my normal reaction," the Hokage replied with a sigh, "But the Daimyo has once again cut funding to the village."

"A C-rank is hardly going to make up for that," Hiashi piped in with a raised brow.

"But tolls from the only land route to a whole country would," Danzo countered with a smirk.

"We are considering sending a genin team that we think could handle just about anything Gato could send at them," Shikaku explained, "When their jonin-sensei 'learns the truth' he can negotiate a deal that will serve our interests while still protecting the client."

"You're going to hustle a client?" Chouza asked in mild disbelief, "If we weren't shinobi, I'd say that was dirty."

"What team were you considering?" Shiba asked the really important question.

"There are two genin teams designated for heavy combat at this time," the Hokage answered, "Team Gai and Team Seven."

Shiba pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose, "Team Gai has proven most capable, but Gai-san is... unique. He has been known to take leave to help those who could not pay mission costs. He may find this task unsavory."

"A good point, Shiba-san," Inoichi agreed with a nod, "That just leaves Kakashi-san's team. The question is: Are they ready? They've only been shinobi for two months now."

"Do we really want to send that thing on such a delicate task?" Chouza asked. No one needed to ask what he meant.

"'That 'thing' is a person you fat bastard," Tsume growled menacingly at the other clan head.

"What did you just call me!?" Chouza stood so quickly his seat flew back into the wall.

"STOP!" their leader shouted. He really didn't want this debate to start again. He fixed angry eyes on the large Akimichi patron, "Chouza-san. Sit. Down. Now."

When a snort of amusement came from Tsume, he turned his smoldering orbs on her, "I'll put you off this council, Tsume-san. I have the power."

As much as she hated the meetings, her clan couldn't afford to lose their seat. She kept her peace.

"Kakashi-san has expressed a growing confidence in his team in his weekly reports," Shikaku explained after things had calmed, "He feels they are ready for a C-rank."

"This isn't really a C-rank, though," Hiashi countered, "A man like Gato most likely has the resources to hire his own shinobi."

"It's not likely he has, though," Shikaku countered, "Suna is loathe to send their shinobi into such foreign terrain. Iwa and Kumo would need to pass close enough to Fire for us to catch wind of them. Kiri is still caught up in a civil war. That just leaves the lesser villages, most of which we have spies in."

"That leaves nukenin as a possibility," Inoichi mused, "Though many of them are wary of taking jobs against villages."

"Kakashi-san should be able to handle just about any contingencies anyway," Tsume came out of her brooding from the reprimand.

"That leaves the other mission," the Hokage said, "What should we do about it?"

"How did our anonymous client expect to pay us?" Shiba asked reasonably.

"By dead drop," Shikaku answered, "The ANBU team retrieved the first half of the payment during their detour."

"So the client is good for the money," Tsume smirked, "Send Stripes, old man."

"His team would be suited to the request," the Hokage allowed, "I'm not sure I'm ready to risk such an unique kekkei-genkai, though."

"Kekkei-genkai?" Tsume and Hiashi asked together.

"I realize the two of you were absent from the meeting discussing team assignment, but do you not look over the new shinobi files?" the Hokage rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I'm surprised with you, Tsume-san, but I expected you to be more dilligent, Hiashi-san."

Tsume didn't have the decency to look sheepish, and Hiashi was far too studious to do so either.

"Sakibou Osamu has an unusual bloodline allowing him to sense and manipulate emotions," the Hokage explained, "It's in the files I sent to you just after the last graduation."

"The dogs!" Tsume slapped the table and began to laugh, "I've been wracking my brain for weeks trying to figure out how he's been controlling the dogs."

"It would explain his predilection for genjutsu as well," Hiashi added.

"Why not send them?" Homura asked, "You've no problem sending our only sharingan wielders on a dangerous mission."

"Sasuke-kun has yet to manifest his dojutsu," Inoichi countered for the Hokage, "There have been lines in that clan that never manifest it."

"They are shinobi," Shikaku sighed tiredly, "We can't just hold them here to keep them safe. The sharingan has proven to manifest under duress, and the kononkyou is untested."

"Very well," the Hokage caved, "I will send Team Five. The two teams can back each other up if it becomes necessary. If there is nothing else to discuss, we can end here."

No one offered anything else, and soon they were all off.

"Hiashi," Tsume wrapped an arm around the Hyuuga patron's, "Walk with me a bit. I'd like to talk to you about something."

XxXxXxX

"So we're going to hustle a client?" Kakashi asked blandly, "Are we sure this isn't going to turn out badly?"

He and Hiroto were standing in the Hokage's office with Shikaku and their leader. The jonin-commander had just finished explaining what they wanted Team Seven to do.

"I figure there's about a one in ten chance," Shikaku told him honestly.

The cyclops shrugged, "Alright. My team should be able to handle this without too much trouble."

"That's a far cry from your report on them from last month," the Hokage smirked at him.

"We've improved," Kakashi replied simply.

"We?" Shikaku echoed speculatively, but the silver-haired man seemed disinclined to answer the open ended question.

"I can't let them think I have too much confidence in them, though," Kakashi said instead, "I'm just now getting Sasuke's pride under control."

The Hokage sighed, "I can have a proper mission scroll written up for tomorrow. We need to put on a bit of a show for Tazuna-san anyway."

"Excellent," Kakashi smiled under his mask.

"Am I here because I'm Naruto's guardian, or do I have some role to play in all of this?" Hiroto finally asked. He was impatient to get back and see how his team was handling the new sparring rules, or lack thereof.

"Your team actually has a separate, but connected mission," Sarutobi informed him, "You'll be in Wave disrupting Gato's operations."

"Not only is the village getting paid for it," Shikaku took over, "It will split his resources between two threats to him."

"Why not a pair of chunin?" Hiroto asked with curiosity, "They would be less conspicuous."

"Because your team needs experience," Shikaku explained, "And you have a habit of bringing teams back alive and well."

"Shikaku-san!" Hiroto gasped sarcastically, "That sounded dangerously close to trust."

"You've had plenty of opportunities to screw us over," Shikaku replied, a look of tired exasperation on his face, "I can't argue with hard evidence."

"I won't send them if you don't think they are ready, Hiroto-san," the Hokage got them back on subject.

"They are," the plain man replied with confidence, "We can leave as early as tomorrow morning."

"Do so, then," the old man replied with a nod, handing him a small scroll, "And good luck... to all of you."

The two jonin saluted and left.

XxXxXxX

"What's this about, Tsume-san?" Hiashi made a vain attempt to extricate his arm from his childhood friend.

"Can't I just catch up with an old friend?" Tsume asked innocently. The wolfish grin she had killed the effect.

"There is always another motive with you," Hiahsi smirked, "Is it about Osamu-san?"

"Yea, actually," her smile fell away, "Heard he was all chummy with Hinata-chan. What do you know about him?"

"He is talented with genjutsu, has a feline familiar, and an overprotective aneue that can command an army of cats," Hiashi offered.

"Have you met her?" Tsume pressed.

"Not as of yet," Hiashi looked at his peer, "Why?"

"Damn..." Tsume bit her thumb in frustration, "I was hoping you could introduce me."

"It's not like you to stand on tradition or courtesy," Hashi raised a brow.

"If they're who I think they are," Tsume furrowed her brow, "The Inuzuka owe them."

"Owe them how?" Hiashi's voice held a hint of worry, "I was considering developing an alliance with them. I don't want to be caught in a political feud."

She barked out some laughter, "Nothing like that. What's your interest in them? You usually don't bother with small families."

"Families with kekkei-genkai tend to become clans," Hiashi answered, "Also, it would irk Otou-sama to no end."

Tsume snorted, "You act all studious, but you're still the spiteful little shit I remember."

"And you're still the uncouth bitch," Hiashi answered with a completely straight face.

Tsume spent the rest of the walk laughing.

XxXxXxX

Hotaka crept carefully through the brush and trees. He'd made the mistake of giving up visual contact on Masaru, and he didn't doubt the trap specialist wouldn't capitalize. Hotaka knew for a fact that Masaru could deploy a single trigger trap a minute. It had been five since the crazy bastard had tossed a charged explosive tag at him to get away.

Their Sensei had determined that Hotaka was advanced enough in taijutsu that anyone sparring with him was free to make use of whatever resources they had. Hotaka was free to do so as well, but he was so specialized that his other skills were sub-par. He supposed the idea was for him to branch out.

A brief gleam in the afternoon sunlight filtering down through the canopy caught his eye. He froze instantly, a foot still in the air, and looked around carefully. Sure enough, there was trip wire a step ahead of him. He eyed it, wondering if Masaru was getting sloppy or if there were other better hidden triggers. Hotaka moved his foot back to its last position and crouched down.

With his new angle, he could see a spider web of wires ahead of him. He picked up a nearby rock and tossed it into the web. He heard a faint click, letting him know that he had triggered something. A gut feeling, maybe caused by his long term friendship with the devious trapper, told him to jump back. As he did so, a net snapped up from the ground, dragged up by unseen counter-weights. He very nearly cleared the snare, but his foot got tangled and he was snapped upward by the quickly rising ropes.

Instead of trying to get out immediately, Hotaka pointed his arm at a nearby tree trunk and launched his bracer's blade into it. Thanking Tenten silently for the high-tensile strength of the wire, he yanked himself toward the tree just in time to avoid an upward swing of Masaru's staff.

"Damn!" the large teen cursed.

Hotaka reached the apex of his swing and began to fall back towards Masaru who was waiting with his staff ready. Hotaka quickly activated the reel in his bracer to take up the slack and tugged again. The mechanism inside began to make a whining noise as it tried to bring the embedded blade closer to him, and the wire, strong as it was, finally gave out under the stress with a loud twang. He swung back towards his larger teammate, but his desperate maneuver had saved him from a mild concussion.

Before Masaru could line up another strike on his wildly oscillating friend, Hotaka was suddenly falling free. In a display of amazing strength and agility, the lanky teen not only reoriented his body to land on his feet, but also managed to land two light jabs into Masaru's left shoulder. The blows unbalanced the large boy, and Hotaka dropped low and swept his legs from under him.

"Give," Masaru panted out from below his opponent.

"You should've had me a few times there," Hotaka's breathing came easier, but he was still winded from the fifteen minute spar, "You're getting better."

"Good job you three," their Sensei leapt from a nearby tree.

"Three?" the two boys asked at the same time.

In answer to their question, Osamu landed next to Hiroto bow in hand and quiver noticeably empty. Yancha wasn't far behind.

"Did I not mention this was a three way spar?" the jonin grinned wide, "Osamu would have won if he had more arrows. As it is, you won, Hotaka."

"Did Osamu even do anything?" Masaru asked seriously.

"Let's see," the small boy made a show of thinking, "I set off your mini-mines early with some arrows to warn Hotaka about them. Disguising the sound and sight of a moving arrow is _not _easy."

"That was you!?" the large boy cried, "I thought I'd made a bad batch."

"I also drew your attention to where Hotaka was hiding after the first exchange," Osamu smiled.

"Man..." the boy in question groaned, "I could have ended it then if he had just come a little closer."

"I tripped the net trap after Hotaka missed every wire with that rock," the small boy went on, "Then I used my last five arrows to slice the net up enough to free you. Too bad Sensei only let me use ten."

"So how did you almost win?" Masaru sat up finally.

"If I could keep you fighting for a full twenty minutes, I won," Osamu explained, "Sensei wanted me to work on manipulating a battlefield."

"You did a good job," Hiroto praised, "All of you. Though, the two of you should probably work on your situational awareness."

He let them grumble a few moments before clapping his hands and smiling big, "Good news! We have a mission."

"I thought you said we'd only be doing a couple of D-ranks a week," Masaru practically whined.

"I did say that," Hiroto agreed with a smirk, "For the next couple of months, at least, you won't be doing any, though."

He let them puzzle over that when, somewhat out of character for the oblivious teen, Hotaka hit on the answer, "A C-rank! Our first C-rank!"

"That's right," their Sensei confirmed.

He had to wait a full five minutes for the excited boys to calm down.

"I want you to pack at least two weeks of clothing, and make sure you're stocked for at least two months on supplies," he ordered, "We won't be able to get more where we're going."

They all nodded eagerly.

"Masaru," he faced the boy directly, "We need explosives... ones that can be used in water."

The grin that spread across the boom-happy shinobi's face made Hiroto shudder slightly, "Sure thing, Sensei."

XxXxXxX

Hotaka peeked into the shop nervously. He had been here a few times on his own, and every time, Shuji had looked at him with such cold hatred he'd wanted to run for his life. Then Tenten would throw something sharp at her father, and _he _would run for _his_ life.

"He's not home right now," Tenten's bemused voice drifted over the various implements of death, "You can come in Hota-kun."

He sighed in relief and entered the shop, "I wish he would just tell me what I did wrong so I could fix it."

"It's not anything anybody can fix," Tenten told him seriously, "And even if it was, he has no right to take out his anger on you."

"I may not have done anything originally," he allowed, "But I _am _straining your relationship with Shuji-san. That's not right."

"You aren't straining anything," Tenten's brow furrowed in anger, "He's the one holding a grudge. I tried to find out what happened exactly, but all he'll say is that Mayu-sensei was responsible for Kaa-san's death."

"I'm sorry if that's true," Hotaka rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably, "I know what it's like to grow up with only one parent."

She waved off the subject, "You didn't come here to discuss my family issues. What did you need?"

He held up the blade that had detached from the bracer. There was still a length of frayed wire hanging from it, "I used it 'outside its prescribed parameters' according to Masaru."

She chuckled at the quote, "That's why I sold it to you; so you could find new ways to make use of it. A weapon without secondary uses isn't good for a shinobi. Hand it here."

He slipped off the broken bracer and set the whole mess on the counter. Tenten began pulling out small precision tools from various pockets and working on it.

"How exactly did this happen?" she asked after popping off the housing for the bracer's mechanical elements, "The winder in here has had it."

"Sensei stepped up the challenge on our spars," Hotaka began to explain, "We're allowed to use whatever we have at our disposal. Masaru got me partially caught in a net trap. I had to improvise to dodge his attacks."

"You used it as a grapnel?" she asked as she worked to replace the damaged components, "That's a great idea."

"Yea," he confirmed, "The winder gave out pretty quick, so I was tugging on the wire to pull me. It snapped after a few good swings."

She nodded in understanding, "I'll replace the wire with a different material... Tou-san is a genius with alloys. Give me the other bracer."

He complied eagerly, "What about the winders?"

She shook her head, "Can't do anything to improve them now. I'll have to come up with a whole new design. Maybe Natsumi-san has some sturdier parts."

"I've been wondering about that," Hotaka mused as she continued her work, "You know Natsumi-san, but hadn't met Masaru until recently..."

"I don't know her all that well," Tenten explained, "Tou-san isn't too happy about being stuck as one of her business associates, but she imports most of the rare metals he needs. From what I gather, she was a friend to both him and Mayu-sensei when Kaa-san died. Natsumi-san took Mayu-sensei's side."

"Ugh," Hotaka's head fell, "Talk about a mess. I'm really sorry."

"Don't be," she closed up his bracers, "I don't want any part of Tou-san's grudges. Mayu-sensei taught me a lot at the academy, and I respect Natsumi-san for her business sense. Tou-san doesn't want to tell me the whole story either."

"Maybe he just wants to protect you," Hotaka offered helpfully.

"He needs to stop, then," she replied, annoyed, "I'll work on a way to improve the winders for you."

Hotaka got the impression that Tenten was now in a bad mood. He figured there wasn't much he could do to improve it, so he said his farewells and departed. He just hoped she would resolve her issues with her father soon.

XxXxXxX

"Kaa-san," Masaru shouted through the house as soon as he entered, "I need explosives."

"The hell for?" she shouted back from her workshop, "Last time I let you play with chemical explosives I nearly ended up with another bum leg!"

He had to suppress a laugh as he entered the shop. His mother had some sort of optical device strapped to her head with assorted magnification lenses. Some unfathomable contraption was sitting half finished in front of her. The whole device was the size of his thumb nail, which explained why he could see the strands of muscle that made up her irises when she looked up at him.

"My mini-mines were a great idea," he defended himself.

She removed her optics and gave him a wry grin, "Didn't say they weren't. So what do you need chemical explosives from me for? You know how to make tags... or your own bombs."

"I don't know how to make anything that will survive contact with water," he countered, "It's for my first C-rank."

"Oh ho," she ruffled his hair, "My boy's gonna go out and make the Hibaku name feared all over again is he?"

"It's just a sabotage mission..." he frowned and she followed suit when she realized what her words had called up in his mind.

"Listen, Masaru," she put her hands on his shoulders, "Don't shy away from killing. Sparing an enemy could mean your life."

"I know..." he replied unhappily, "Does it ever get easier?"

"Faster than I'd like to admit," she told him with a weary sigh, "My hands are soaked with the blood of hundreds... I'm not sure when it stopped bothering me."

"Sensei told me to be careful when that happens," Masaru furrowed his brow in confusion.

"It's a small step from there to start enjoying the act," she said sagely, "I was headed in that direction. I would have retired after your birth regardless of the aneurism because of that."

Masaru was speechless. He'd always assumed the aneurism his birth had triggered was what ended his mother's career.

"I still feel the urge from time to time," her eyes were looking miles away now, "Have to remind myself that killing isn't my business anymore."

"K-kaa-san?" Masaru ventured nervously.

She focused back on her son, "You've chosen a bloody path, Masaru. Careful you don't slip and bathe yourself in it."

He nodded mutely.

"I'll have some explosives ready by morning," she patted him on the cheek, "Go get your pack ready and we'll head over to Ren-chan's. I'm sure Mayu will want to make you boys a big dinner."

XxXxXxX

"Hinata-sama is currently training," the guard repeated like an automaton.

"I just want to say bye!" Osamu threw up his hands in frustration, "I'm gonna be gone for at least two months."

"Fairly small estimate for a mission such as yours," a familiar voice behind Osamu caused him to jump.

Osamu turned and bowed to Hiashi while muttering about background auras covering his approach. After he straightened he asked, "You know about my mission?"

"It was discussed at council," Hiashi passed through the gate and made a subtle motion for Osamu to follow, "Normally such things are below our notice, but you are of special interest."

Osamu didn't like the sound of that," Uh... why?"

"Your kekkei-genkai makes you a valuable asset to the village," Hiashi said simply.

"Nee-san is gonna kill me," Osamu groaned, "No one's supposed to know about that."

"In the future I would avoid making such admissions so easily," Hiashi offered as advice, "As for our knowledge, the council is informed of all medically registered kekkei-genkai. You are referred to as a number until you achieve shinobi status."

They passed by the main house and continued on down the path towards a dojo.

"I hadn't looked through the new recruit files until recently," Hiashi continued to explain, "I was somewhat interested to find my eldest had befriended one with such an... unusual ability."

"It comes with its problems," Osamu replied sheepishly.

"Is it a dojutsu?" Hiashi asked. Osamu saw no indications in the mans body language that the question meant anything, but his mellow ochre aura showed that he anticipated the answer greatly.

"Doctor Juro says it's purely chakra based," Osamu chose to be honest with him. He noticed a spike of interest from the Hyuuga patron, but the man said nothing more on the matter.

"Let us see how my children fare in their training," Hiashi said as he slid open the dojo door.

The smell of sweat hit Osamu's nose and he could hear the labored breathing of a pair of people. Down on the mats were Hinata and her sister performing what looked an awful lot like a dance. Despite his lack of knowledge in taijutsu, Osamu began to see who was winning the spar. It was more due to the auras the girls gave off. Hinata's sapphire was wavering with uncertainty and hesitation, while Hanabi's auburn spiritual energy was pulsing with eagerness.

Pretty soon Hinata cried out in pain and dropped to the floor.

"You missed three openings, Hinata. Fifty kata" a harsh voice said immediately. Their grandfather was overseeing their training, "Hanabi, you are still using too much chakra. You will do the tree drill ten times."

"Yes, Ojii-sama," the two girls said in unison.

"Hinata," Hiashi said after she had gotten to her feet causing her to start, "You have a visitor."

"Now is not the time, Hiashi," Hiruka scolded his son, "We still have an hour to go."

"Take a break," the Hyuuga leader ordered his daughters, "I need to have a discussion with Otou-sama about proper respect."

Hiashi pulled his father outside by the elbow leaving Osamu alone with the two girls. Hanabi was glaring at the boy who had humiliated her just a week ago, but he just smiled back.

"Don't worry, Hanabi-chan," he told her in a condescendingly sweet voice, "I won't play any tricks on you today."

She 'hmph'ed and stalked gracefully to the other side of the dojo where she began to practice her forms.

"W-what are y-you doing here?" Hinata asked. Osamu could hear her embarrassment like the crackle of a campfire. He stifled his aura sensing with more chakra than usual. He didn't need it right now, and would be distracting.

"I have my first C-rank," he explained with an easy smile, "Sensei says we'll be gone for a while, so I wanted to say bye."

She smiled slightly," I w-wish you had c-come a little l-later."

"You really shouldn't be embarrassed about your taijutsu," his smile got bigger, "I got beat by Sakura-san during graduation testing after all."

She couldn't suppress a small giggle at that, but the moment was lost when they heard muffled shouting from outside. The words were indistinguishable, but the voices were obviously Hiashi and Hiruka.

"N-not again," Hinata groaned sadly.

"They do that often?" he wasn't aware any Hyuuga besides his doctor even knew how to yell.

"Y-yes," she sighed in resignation, "I'd a-ask you t-to go somewhere else, b-but they're b-blocking the d-door."

"Hiruka-sama seems very strict and... traditional," Osamu said to her in a leading way.

Hinata knew she shouldn't discuss her clan's inner workings with him, but she found her need to confide in someone overwhelming her sense of propriety.

"I'm n-not strong l-like I should b-be," she confessed, "Ojii-sama is j-just trying t-to help m-me."

That wasn't the impression Osamu had gotten from the old man, but he chose to hold his tongue on the matter.

"That's why Otou-sama doesn't train us himself," Hanabi called from the other side of the dojo, "He can't be bothered with Hinata."

Osamu watched hurt, deep enough to blow through the suppression of his sense, spread through his friends aura. Curious to him was the lack of any form of anger. It was a sign that Hinata believed the words herself. He wasn't really sure what to do, but he felt he needed to do something. He was beginning to smell her sadness, the scent of a coming thunderstorm; a sure sign that she was well on her way to a period of severe depression.

"Sorry about this," he finally said before breaking one of Hinata's, and his own, taboos. She did not like to be touched for whatever reason, and he was averse to making physical contact with those who didn't know about his mutations. None of that stopped him from giving her a quick hug.

"W-wha..." was all she could get out.

"I can't tell you how I know," he told her quietly, "but, Hiashi-sama loves you very much."

"B-but..." again she sputtered, unsure of what to do.

He let her go and found her blushing a deep crimson.

"I gotta go," he said to cover his own embarrassment, "I'll see you later."

He walked from the dojo and passed right between the still bickering father and son. Had he been paying more attention to his surroundings he might have caught a few snippets of conversation that would have deepened his already bright red blush.

XxXxXxX

"I suppose I'm to get another lecture about giving you the respect your position is due," Hiruka commented dryly upon getting outside with his son.

"We've done it before," Hiashi turned cold eyes to his father, "We both know how it goes. That's not why I wished to speak with you."

"Go on," years of experience had taught Hiashi to read his unusually blank faced father. He was curious.

"I am going to offer the Sakibou family the friendship of our clan," Hiashi watched with no small amount of spiteful pleasure as tiny cracks formed in Hiruka's calm exterior.

"What?" the one time leader of the Hyuuga asked with deathly calm.

"You heard me, Otou-sama," Hiashi replied calmly, "Unless you are going deaf in your old age."

"Tell me, boy," Hiashi hated it when his father called him that. He made it sound so denigrating, "What could the two of them offer us. This is worse than your alliance with those mongrels."

"The Inuzuka are a powerful clan," despite himself, Hiashi's voice began to rise, "And the Sakibou have the potential to be as such. What have we to lose in such a small gamble?"

"Our reputation, you nitwit," Hiruka's voice was just a tad louder than his son's had been, "You damaged it enough with your 'friendship' with that dog-woman. How far do you plan to drag this clan to spite me?"

"I do what is best for this clan," Hiashi was practically yelling now. No person he knew of could make him lose his calm faster than his own father, "Meanwhile, you damage my children for some twisted sense of tradition."

"I'm trying to make up for the mistakes I made with you," Hiruka yelled back, "They require discipline and strength, yet you allow Hinata to pursue a trivial friendship with this flea-ridden freak."

"That 'flea-ridden freak' has what might be the most powerful kekkei-genkai in Konoha," Hiashi blurted without considering the consequences. He decided the look of bewilderment on Hiruka's face was worth the small slip of informational security.

The old man recovered quickly.

"Perhaps you should offer him one of your children as a wife, then," he suggested snidely, lowering his voice to give the remark more bite, "Hinata is his age, and they seem to get along well enough."

"Perhaps I will," Hiashi smiled at the aghast look he got from his father.

He noticed movement, and realized that the boy in question was currently passing between them with a bright blush. After he was gone, Hiruka began to chuckle darkly.

"Might have to make good on that now, boy."

He turned to walk away, but Hiashi caught his elbow.

"You will no longer be needed for Hinata and Hanabi's training. I will take care of it myself," he nearly growled out, "You will not speak of this conversation to anyone, or I will see to it that the next time you sleep, you do not wake up."

"You dare!?" Hiruka gasped.

"Yes," Hiashi answered coldly, "I won't have you sabotaging my efforts anymore."

Hiruka jerked his arm free, and shuffled off indignantly. Hiashi had caught the hint of fear in his eyes, though. His father wouldn't be getting in his way. At least not for a little while, anyway.

* * *

I don't really have much to say here...


	24. In Route

"Booorrrrinnng..." Naruto gave an exaggerated yawn, "Is anything interesting going to happen?"

"Shut-up, fool," Sakura took a swipe at the blonde, who ducked it, "Tou-san says that boring is best on missions."

While the actual actions of the two hadn't changed much, the reasons behind them had. Naruto often bothered Sakura to get a rise out of her, and while her temper did flare, she controlled herself much better. Kakashi was pleased with their progress.

"Haruno-san is a wise man," Kakashi commented from behind his orange book, "His wife is a better shinobi, though."

"Your parents are shinobi?" Sasuke of all people asked; though, it was still in a bored unintersted tone.

He had made some progress, too, after Kakashi's chat with him. He was still sullen and guarded, but he no longer treated the other two as if they didn't exist.

"Tou-san still is," Sakura answered, "Kaa-san retired when she found out she was pregnant with me. She's been talking about rejoining now that I'm in the Corps."

The banter continued, but Kakashi's focus was suddenly gripped by the out of place puddle off the trail. It hadn't rained in days, and the Land of Fire was know to have warm days well into December. It was still November. He didn't give any indication of his thoughts and passed it by. A few moments later, his guess was proven right.

"One in ten my ass," Kakashi muttered as the chain circled him.

A quick jaunt via Kawarimi pulled him out of harms way. He even left an illusion of himself getting diced up to really throw them off. He didn't do it to see the looks on his team's faces. That definitely had nothing to do with it.

"One little piggy," the shinobi with the linked clawed gauntlets said as the chain cinched around the log that had taken his place. Could they be anymore cheesy?

They went for the next one in line: Naruto. Kakashi knew for a fact that the boy had some of the best taijutsu training available. Mayu may have been crippled, but she was still so much of a badass Kakashi would still stay out of her reach. Of course no amount of training could account for Naruto freezing up.

Sasuke was just the opposite. He reacted as soon as he knew there was a threat. He leapt towards his foes, drawing and throwing a shuriken then a kunai in rapid succession. Neither struck the enemy, but they still hit their target spot on. The chain was now pinned to a nearby tree. It stopped the two ninja just long enough for Sasuke to land with a foot on either of their shoulders, reach down, and twist the chain's release mechanism. He flipped back and away before they could retaliate.

Far from dissuaded from their attack, one continued on towards Naruto, intent on destroying the opposition. His companion skirted around the fear-stricken teen and raced towards Tazuna. Sakura was set and ready to meet his charge, but Kakashi doubted she would stand a real chance. He made his move, but the enemy was a tad faster than he thought. The first one was already striking out at Naruto. Finally the blonde, death staring him in the face, snapped from his stupor and raised his arm to parry the incoming strike. He took a nasty cut from the claws of the gauntlet, but had saved his face from a good mauling.

Kakashi managed to disable and grab Naruto's assailant before he could land another blow. He dashed by the blonde and gripped a hand full of the others hair, making his feet shoot out in front of him. Kakashi was surprised to see Sasuke had move in front of Sakura.

"Sensei!" the kunoichi cried happily, "You're alive."

"Yep," he replied simply. He looked back at Naruto who was now cradling his hurt hand, "Sorry I didn't react sooner. I didn't think you would freeze up like that, Naruto."

He looked back over at Tazuna, "So... What might two Kiri nukenin be doing lying in wait for a team of genin and their somewhat tipsy client, hmm?"

"I...uh..." Tazuna rubbed the back of his head nervously, "You see..."

"You think they were after Tazuna-san?" Sakura asked.

"Well, no offense, Sakura, but you and Naruto aren't all that important," Kakashi told them, "Sasuke could be sold on the black market for a pretty good price thanks to his heritage, but human trafficking is _extremely _risky business. I'm a prime target for enemy villages, but these guys are rogue. That leaves just one person."

"An extremely dangerous man wants me dead," Tazuna admitted in defeat.

"Falsifying mission information is a very dangerous gamble, Tazuna-san," Kakashi narrowed his visible eye at the architect.

"There's no way I could have afforded more than this," Tazuna protested, "Gato has wrung my country dry, and my bridge is our last hope!"

"That's too bad," Kakashi shook his head, "This mission is over."

"What?" Sasuke asked sharply. He was obviously itching for more of this.

"This mission just got a whole lot more dangerous than you three can handle," Kakashi explained to the dark-eyed boy, "Plus, Naruto is injured."

"I'm fine," Naruto protested. He had apparently recovered from his scare, "It's just a scratch."

Kakashi dropped his new prisoners and began to disarm and secure them, "Naruto, these gauntlets are poisoned. You need to have that cut drained so the poison doesn't reach your heart."

"Maybe if you hadn't frozen like a scared cat," Sasuke muttered just loud enough for the blonde to hear.

Naruto's face screwed up in anger, and he pulled a kunai from his pouch with his uninjured hand. For a moment, Kakashi was worried he might attack Sasuke, but then Naruto jabbed the blade into his poisoned injury, widening the cut and causing the blood to flow more freely.

"I swear on this pain," he ground out as he dug the blade deeper, "That I won't freeze up again. I say we go on."

Even Sasuke was looking at Naruto with a some surprise. Kakashi was about to reprimand the fool for causing his blood to flow like that, but Sakura beat him to it.

"You IDIOT!" she screamed. She stalked towards him angrily, causing him to back up a step. She grabbed his injured hand before he could try to escape, though, "Sensei meant for a professional to do that. You could bleed out."

"Hold still, dolt," she ordered as she looked at the damage, "This will certainly drain the poison... The muscles are damaged, but it looks like you didn't do anything to the tendons or ligaments."

"When did you start studying first aid?" Kakashi asked her with a small amount of surprise.

"A while ago," she answered absently as she poked at Naruto's hand, causing him to make some unusual noises in pain, "Hiroto-sensei gave me a scroll on it, and I got interested and dug further. It had some instructions for a jutsu, too."

"Aww man," Naruto whined, "Nii-san won't teach me any jutsu, and he just gives you one?"

"Yep," Sakura smirked at him as her hand began to glow green , "Sit still. I've only used this on bruises and pulled muscles so far."

Kakashi watched in wonder as Sakura performed a technique that still gave _him _trouble. Basic or not, Naosu no Jutsu required a level of control from its user that he had yet to achieve despite being a jonin. Even Hiroto, the only non-medic to use it, couldn't do it perfectly. Apparently, neither could Sakura. The wound wouldn't close for her. It did still begin to heal, though.

Kakashi saw a tiny spark of red-orange at the ragged edge of the wound, and then it began to heal rapidly, as if the Naosu was having the intended affect.

"There we go," Sakura pulled some bandaged from her pack and wrapped Naruto's hand, "Leave that on to protect the new skin for a while."

"That was really cool, Sakura!" Naruto gushed after she was done, "Can you teach me to do that?"

"It kinda requires really good chakra control," she told him, "And yours... isn't all that great."

Naruto hung his head dejectedly, "Yea..."

"So..." Tazuna grabbed everyone's attention again, "Are we going on?"

Kakashi looked at his three students and saw he was outnumbered. Each looked ready to go on, and he doubted Naruto would ever forgive him if he wasn't given a chance to prove himself after both of his teammates had shown him up.

"Set up camp," he ordered, "We need to discuss how you're going to pay for this."

XxXxXxX

"What is it, Kakashi-san," Hiroto spoke into his radio, "Kinda tired here."

"Three days to Bikou will do that," Kakashi's voice crackled a bit, "Had a run-in with a couple of nukenin from Kiri. They were after Tazuna-san."

"Everyone alright?" he couldn't disguise the concern in his voice.

"Naruto took a cut from a poisoned gauntlet on his hand," Kakashi answered, "It's been drained and healed. Speaking of which, what made you think Sakura would be able to pull off that technique?"

"She already got it down?" Hiroto asked in surprise, "That was fast. Took me years to develop the control for Naosu."

"She isn't fully proficient yet," Kakashi replied, "I think Naruto's tenant was responsible for his hand sealing up."

"That's likely," Hiroto agreed, "He never gets sore no matter how much exercise he does. Are you going to go through with the plan? We weren't counting on shinobi."

"I would have a mutiny on my hands if I didn't," Kakashi told him, "I just hope this won't bite me in the ass."

"How much worse could it get?" Hiroto asked amicably.

"I'm probably going to run into some crazed swordsman willing to decapitate anyone in his way, now," Kakashi replied sarcastically.

"You said it, not me," Hiroto replied with a laugh, "Seeya, Kakashi-san."

"Yep," was the only answer he got.

Shaking his head, Hiroto leapt from the tall building he'd used to overcome interference on his high-powered radio. He used a small application of chakra in his hand to slide down the facade, then flipped to the ground to make his way to his small, out-of-the-way inn.

Bouki city only covered about half again as much ground space as Konoha, but it held nearly six times the population. For that reason, the buildings were mostly twenty stories tall or higher. Kakashi had directed him to a little inn near the docks that would give him good service with very few questions.

He hadn't seen any reason why questions would be asked until Osamu had started to glow after entering the city that evening. It was subtle at first, but as the sun set and the sky darkened, it became more prominent. By the time they got their room, people were openly staring in mixed wonder and fear. Hiroto couldn't blame them, the halo of light around the kid had been a scintillating rainbow that pulsed in time with his breathing.

He'd had the good sense not to make a fuss over it in front of other people. He was obviously the leader of the team, and if he had shown open worry about another shinobi glowing like a neon sign there would have been panic. Masaru and Hotaka seemed to either follow his lead or think it was normal. His radio had come to life just as he was about to question Osamu in their room.

He opened the door to their inn, a large house not unlike the Sakibou home. The old man running the place, a bent and shriveled thing that looked older than the dirt he was sweeping gave him a toothy grin.

"Might be needin' to charge ya extra for the two rooms," his voice was still strong despite his advanced age.

"What for?" Hiroto asked worriedly, "Did they do something? Was there an explosion?"

"Nothin' like that," the innkeeper waved his hand dismissively, "That boy, the glowy one, is attractin every damn sprite in the city. Friendly enough creatures, but mischievous as all get-out. Broke all me eggs, and poured out me saki."

"I... uh..." Hiroto was unsure how to respond to that.

"Think I'm crazy, doncha?" the old man pointed at him with a big smile, "That's alright. Rare that someone doesn't. The boy told you why he's doin' what he is yet?"

"No," the jonin answered carefully.

"I'm bettin' he's a reader," the old coot chuckled, "They get it the roughest. Worst I've ever dealt with was an ornery river spirit. He's gotta hear everyone in tha city, though."

"What do you know old man?" Hiroto asked curiously.

"Ahh! Got yer interest now!" the innkeeper let out a coughing laugh, "Nii-san was a reader."

"Was?" he echoed questioningly, "What happened to him?"

"Couldn't take all the noise," the old man became solemn, "Did imself in with a rope. It musta been rough knowing what everyone was feelin'. Maybe if he'd known your boy's trick he'd still be kickin'."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the younger man felt remarkably uncomfortable now.

"You look out fer that boy," the old man poked him in the chest with a knobby finger, "He's got a view no one else does, and that could drive 'em mad. You have a good night now."

The old innkeeper went back to his sweeping, and Hiroto climbed the stairs to his room. All was quiet when he passed the room Hotaka and Masaru were sharing, but there was a soft glow coming from his. Opening the door, he found all the lights out, and Osamu giving off a full blown light show while seated on his bed in the lotus position. He didn't react at all to Hiroto's presence.

"If I were looking to abduct some young shinobi with odd powers," the jonin commented while shutting the door, "You'd make an easy target."

Osamu just pointed up to some shelving above the empty bed. Following the line, Hiroto found Yancha's mismatched eyes regarding him intently.

"She heard you coming," Osamu explained without opening his eyes.

"Convenient that feline of yours," Hiroto walked over to the cat and began to stroke her long golden fur, "Where can I get one."

"Our familiars are only given to members of the clan," Osamu explained with a smirk, "Easiest way to get one is to marry in."

"Cute," his Sensei shot back sarcastically, "Why aren't you passed out like the other two stooges?"

"Can't keep this up while sleeping," he replied with a frown, "Can't sleep with it down."

"What is it you're doing exactly?" the jonin asked, "And why?"

"I'm using my chakra to reinforce my aura," the teen explained as if it were common practice, "It keeps all the... noise out."

"You really sense everyone around us now?" Hiroto continued to prod.

Osamu gave him a nod in response, "Not individuals. Past a certain point they just blend together. Like how you can't hear specific conversations in a crowd, but you still hear all the noise."

"That's problematic," Hiroto sat down on his bed and ran a hand through his hair, "I can't have you doing this anytime we go into a city."

"Masaru suggested I quit the Corps." Osamu told him in a subdued tone.

"Ouch," Hiroto replied with a wince, "That's a little harsh."

"He's just looking out for me," the boy immediately jumped to his friend's defense, "Hotaka and him have always had it in their heads that I need protecting cause I'm the smallest."

"What exactly would happen to you if you dropped your defense?"

"I already have a headache from what's getting through," Osamu explained, "I can still sense everybody within twenty meters. You, for instance, are extremely worried."

"That didn't really answer my question," Hiroto shot back wryly.

"I would develop a migraine," Osamu sighed, "The pain would probably grow until I passed out or went crazy."

"Konoha's got plenty of people," Hiroto commented almost to himself, "Why don't you do this there?"

"I do," the boy admitted, "In fact, the only time I haven't been burning chakra in the past four years has been when I was sleeping and for the past three days in the wild."

"Hmm..." was the only response he got.

Hiroto settled into a comfortable position on his bed and pulled his sketchbook from his equipment pouch. He flipped past all the disturbing images he'd put down in this particular volume to a blank sheet and began to draw something new.

XxXxXxX

"Well yall get up bright an' early," a leathery, middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and deep brown eyes greeted them as they approached the docks, "Good mornin' to ya."

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon out on the ocean.

"You're Captain Kyoha?" Hiroto questioned. When he got a nod, he gave a shallow bow, "We thank you for the use of your ship."

The captian let a guffaw, "Easy there, ninja man. I ain't no fancy politician ya can grease up with pretty words. Let's get down to business. We got a problem."

"What sort of problem?" Hiroto raised a brow, "I was told payment had already been arranged."

Captain Kyoha waved his hand, "Forget the money. My damn crane crew is full o' idiots and burnt out the crane motor. We got the backup installed, but it can't handle the last crate... Are ya aware that the little one is glowing?"

"It's not a concern," Hiroto said immediately, "Show me to your ship. Maybe I can help with the crate."

The captain shrugged and led them down a long pier with many large warehouses blocking their view on either side. They finally turned a corner, and a massive ship filled their vision. It was at least two hundred meters long and sitting as tall in the water as the two story warehouses on the dock. The ship was painted a plain gunmetal gray that would cause it to blend in with the horizon, day or night.

"There she is," the captain said proudly, "The Kujira."

"That big thing?" Hotaka asked in wonder.

"No," Kyoha replied dryly, "The dinghy behind it."

"No sails," Masaru observed. Instead it had two large cylinders coming out of the top deck, "This thing is steam powered."

"Know a bit about ships, eh boy?" the captain mussed his hair, "She has two 20,000 horsepower steam engines and sixteen boilers. Luckily Fire has plenty o' coal to feed her."

"Where's the crate," Hiroto asked him. He had a mission to complete.

"Over there," the captain pointed to a giant box that must have weighed close to a ton on its own, "Don't see what ya can do when the crane can't even lift it."

"Set the crane up to get it on the ship," Hiroto told the man, "And find me some heavy duty work gloves."

The captain shrugged and walked off yelling orders to his crew. Hiroto began to strip off his flak vest and shirt.

"What are you going to do, Sensei?" Hotaka asked.

"I'm going to get us under way," the jonin answered after stripping off his shirt.

When he received no response, he turned to find all three teens gaping at him. Even Yancha was looking at him with interest. He looked down and realized they were staring at all of his scars.

"Inuzuka Hana," he pointed at one that cut straight across his abdomen. He then pointed out multiple smaller scars on his sides, "Mitarashi Anko."

"What?" Masaru managed to get out.

"Yamanaka Daichi," he pointed to a puckered scar on his shoulder, "Almost every scar is a person I've saved. A reminder that pain is a small price to pay for a life."

"You saved Anko-neesan's life?" Hotaka asked after a moment of wonder.

"I've saved a lot of people," their Sensei smiled, "It eases the guilt a little."

"Who's that ragged one on your chest?" Osamu asked curiously, pointing to a jagged scar that started just under his left nipple and ran to his side, "That one looks rough."

Hiroto rubbed his hand over the scar in question, and a sad look crossed his face, "This isn't from protecting anyone but myself."

"We got the crane ready ta go," Kyoha walked back up, "Got yer gloves, too."

Hiroto put the gloves on and leapt up onto the ship. He then proceeded towards the crane built onto the top deck. He spent a moment with the crew there, who were giving him looks ranging from incredulous to completely dumbfounded. After that, he climbed to the top of the crane boom where the lift cable dropped down. The jonin positioned himself so that he was hanging upside down next to the cable. He grabbed hold of it and closed his eyes in focus.

"Alright," he shouted down to the crane operator, "UP!"

The cranes motor kicked in, and the cable snapped taught. The crate didn't rise, however, until Hiroto began to tug the cable up hand over hand. Everyone looked on in amazement as the muscles in his arms bulged but didn't tear under the strain. Working with the crane, he managed to get the crate up over the railing of the upper deck. Luckily the crane operator had the presence of mind to actually do his job and swing the boom over the yawning opening to the hold. Soon, Hiroto was lowering the crate, and they heard it thud down in the cavernous hold. After the job was done, Hiroto just hung there, his entire upper body red and lathered in sweat from the extreme effort.

"You okay, Sensei?" Masaru called up to him.

"Yea..." the jonin panted out, "Just need a minute. How soon can we leave captain?"

"We'll shove off in less than ten minutes," the captain shouted, and his crew went scrambling.

XxXxXxX

"I talked to the crane operator," Masaru whispered to Hotaka in the small cabin their team had been given for the three day journey to Wave, "He said that crate was a little over five tons, and the motor was rated for four."

"You mean Sensei was lifting almost a ton?" Hotaka whispered back, disbelief evident on his face.

Both Osamu and Hiroto had passed out as soon as they had made it to the cabin. Masaru and Hotaka were trying to keep it down so they could sleep.

"Well... those ratings aren't exactly maximum capacity," Masaru explained, "But he was still lifting way past what anyone should be able to do."

"It's called chakra saturation," Hiroto said suddenly from his cot, making them jump, "As you use chakra, it permeates your system and causes changes."

"Like what?" Hotaka asked. He couldn't help but look towards the still sleeping Osamu.

"Nothing like that," their Sensei replied, catching the true meaning behind his question, "You'll find your natural strength increasing, blood clots faster, pain is easier to ignore... stuff like that."

"We never learned about that..." Masaru commented.

"That's cause we don't want washouts knowing about it," Hiroto turned over on his cot, "If you ever make it as far as I have, you'll be able to do things not possible for you now... even with boosting."

"Mmm... quiet," Osamu grumbled sleepily.

"I could use some more sleep, too," Hiroto agreed with the boy, "Why don't you two go bother the crew."

XxXxXxX

"You aren't tryin' ta weave some sorta hoodoo that'll blast a hole in tha ship, are ya?" a voice above Hotaka asked.

The teen looked up to see a black toothed, wrinkly, squint-eyed old salt with a blue bandana covering what was likely a bald head peeking over the lip of the crate he was sitting against in the hold. He sighed, not in frustration at the interruption, but with relief that someone had given him a reason to take a break from his hand seal practice.

"No," he replied with a smile, "Just practicing for when I do need to blow a hole in something."

"Well dat's good," the old man smiled back. A sight far more disturbing than any grin Osamu had given him, "though... from tha swearin' I heard, it ain't goin' so well."

"No..." Hotaka let loose another sigh, "I start out alright, but I mess up before I can finish anything."

"Maybe Furui can help ya," the old man hopped down from his perch and settled into a squat in front of Hotaka.

"Know anything about shinobi hand seals?" the boy asked a little sarcastically.

"Not a damn thing," Furui answered amicably, "But I do know about workin' with me hands. What could it hurt?"

Hotaka shrugged at the simple logic. He started the string of six seals again, naming them as he went.

"Tiger, Dragon, Hare, DAMNIT!" he shouted as his hands got tangled on Hare.

"Not sure what ya did wrong," the old sailor scratched his crotch, "But, looks to me yer goin' too fast."

"Their supposed to be fast," Hotaka said in exasperation, "A split second in combat can mean death."

"The same's true in a storm," Furui told him, "This big ole hunk a metal can weather some roughuns, but on a small two-master, like what I started on, ya gotta be able to tie off ropes with a quickness."

"I can imagine," Hotaka replied, not exactly sure where the old salt was going.

Furui pulled out a meter long piece of rope and began to tie and untie it in several different knots with blinding speed, "Learnt 'em all on me first ship when I was about yer age."

"That's pretty awesome," the teen told him with sincere awe.

"Back then, I was as likely ta hang myself from the riggin' as secure it," Furui laughed, "I fumbled me hands about like you did. Den the first mate, biggest ass I ever met, told me 'Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.'"

"That's what Kaa-san said about my hand seals!" Hotaka said excitedly, "I didn't get it, though."

"That's cause yer stuck on the end," the old man replied, "When you oughta be focusin' on the start."

"What do you mean?" Hotaka leaned back against the crate.

"Yer thinkin' ya need ta practice where ya need ta be," Furui answered, "Yer fergettin' that ya gotta start somewhere. Slow down an' get yer stuff right."

He highlighted his advice by slowly making a fairly simple knot, "Can't move fast iffin' ya don't got the moves down right. Like yer big friend up top. He's been twirlin' that stick o' his about all slow like for hours cause he ain't got the moves all down yet."

Hotaka suddenly felt very dumb. He had never thought to treat hand seals like kata. He'd been practicing the axiom his mother had told him for years. She must have been laughing at him for weeks as he continued to struggle with the answer just in front of him.

"Thanks, Furui," Hotaka smiled at the old man, "I think you just helped me out."

"Glad I could," the geezer hopped up and wandered off whistling a jaunty tune.

Hotaka soon got up himself. He'd been at this for hours and felt the need for some food. Had he stayed for just a few minutes more, he would have heard his new friend yelp in surprise.

XxXxXxX

Masaru stared out into the foggy night lost in thought. He wasn't seeing the fog, but the blood and gore from his first kill. He and Hotaka had taken a meal together, and the lanky teen had asked him how he felt about the possibility of combat on this mission. Masaru hadn't been able to formulate an answer.

_"Don't shy away from killing," _his mother's words echoed in his mind, _"Sparing an enemy could mean your life."_

"Somethin' interestin' out there I don't know about?" the voice of the captain made him jump, "Thought ya ninja types were suppose ta be alert."

"Just remembering something," Masaru hedged.

"Aye," Kyoha matched his somber tone, "I know that look. Took me first bout yer age. A pirate tryin' ta gut me with a gaff hook if my memory serves."

"You were just defending yourself," Masaru looked back out into the fog as the captain worked to light a pipe, "Shinobi are payed to kill people they don't even know."

"What if I told you I had signed ta a pirate hunter," the captain smirked at him, "I signed up just ta kill the dirty bastards. Got paid good, too."

"Well..." Masaru considered that, "You already knew they weren't good people."

"Killin' is killin', boy," Kyoha told him sternly, "You can dress it how ya want, but at tha end o' tha day, ya still got blood on yer hands. The question is: Can ya deal with that?"

Before Masaru could formulate an answer, one of the crew came running up. A large shirtless man with long black dreads.

"Cap'n!" he said urgently, "We got a serious problem."

"They back?" the captain asked in response.

"Aye, sir," his man answered, "We found Furui's body in da hold."

Captain Kyoha's face tightened in anger, "That's tha first time they dared take one o' me men. They mean ta take the ship."

"Captain?" Masaru caught his attention, "What's going on?"

"Go find yer team, boy," he replied, "Bring 'em up ta tha bridge. I'll explain there."

* * *

This was hell to write for a while. You have just finished the third iteration of this chapter. I hated the other two. I might cite personal issues for delaying this one, but I just had the block again. Seems to have gone back into its lair for the time being, though. Updates will most likely be irregular and come as soon as I finish chapters until I can catch up... if I ever do.

EDIT: Totally forgot something, and now I'm feeling a bit like an ass. One of my reviewers gave me a great idea (chakra saturation), and I forgot to give him credit here. Lunar-Chakra was kind enough to not only discuss with me his own ideas, but allow me to make use of one of them. Thank you, sir. You are a gentleman and a scholar.


	25. Ninjas vs Pirates

Oh yea, I'm going there. What story about ninjas is complete without them fighting pirates?

Thanks again to Lunar-Chakra for giving me the idea of chakra saturation. It really ties a lot of things together for me.

* * *

"Care to explain why my student is so spooked, Captain?" Hiroto said through a yawn as he walked onto the bridge of the Kujira. The rest of Team Five and Yancha were in tow. The captain noted that the smallest boy was now carrying a long black case he hadn't seen before.

"Cause one o' me crew was found dead in tha hold," Kyoha responded seriously, "I didn't take ta ferryin' shinobi fer no reason."

"Getting paid for me to protect your ship," Hiroto raised a brow, "That's good business sense."

"Glad ya find this funny," the captain bristled at the jonin's tone, "They mean ta take tha ship."

Hiroto's face grew serious, "I don't find this funny, Captain. Tell me the situation."

"Me first mate found Furui lyin' in a pool o' blood ten minutes ago," the Captain informed him, "This is tha first time they killed one o' us."

"This happens often?" Hiroto queried while looking back at Hotaka, who seemed to take the news of the old man dying quite hard.

"They come up from Wave and take some supplies," Kyoha answered, "Not enough ta put a big dent in tha profits, so I just let 'em go."

"Looks like their tired of taking you down a ryo at a time," Hiroto stretched, "They want a bigger score."

"Me ship is worth millions alone," Kyoha told him, "Tha cargo is worth just as much. Tha dogs'll kill us all just ta have it."

"Since saving your ship is necessary for my current mission, you won't be getting a bill from Konoha," the jonin finished his stretching, "Osamu... exactly how sensitive are you?"

"I can feel everyone on the ship, if that's what you're asking," the boy answered, "I don't know the crew well enough to tell them apart from anyone else, though."

"Is there a way we can make it easier for you?" Hiroto asked, "I would really rather not fight Kami knows how many pirates on my own."

"You have us," Hotaka said grimly.

"That's true," Hiroto turned to him, "But you and Masaru have a different task. These pirates didn't swim. Sweep the sides of the ship and destroy any vessel riding with us."

"By destroy, you mean..." Masaru trailed off his question.

Hiroto answered by miming an explosion with his hands.

"Can do, Sensei," Masaru and Hotaka exited the bridge together. Hiroto briefly considered calling them back so they could get whatever intel Osamu could provide, but he decided that they needed to learn from their mistakes at some point. They were just going against pirates after all.

"I think I can do something," Osamu said slowly, "But I'll need physical contact with each crew member."

"Captain?" Hiroto turned to Kyoha.

The man answered by picking up a microphone from the console in front of him. He pressed a button on it's base and spoke into it, and his voice boomed out all over the ship, "This is tha captain speaking. All hands ta tha bridge immediately. All hands ta tha bridge."

XxXxXxX

Kakashi clandestinely eyed his students sitting around their campfire from behind his orange book. He worried after their safety in the coming weeks, but there was little he could do. Little except prepare them as best he could.

"I think it's about time we got into more advanced stuff," he remarked nonchalantly, turning a page he hadn't bothered to read, "I think I'll teach you three a technique each."

"Really!" Naruto jumped up in excitement, "Is it gonna be some some super awesome battle technique!?"

"Nope," Kakashi turned another page to really drive the disappointment home, "But they will be very useful."

"What are we going to learn, Sensei?" Sakura asked politely. He could see a bit of excitement in her eyes.

"I'm going to teach you a variation of the Kawarimi," he explained, setting down his book, "It's the one I used in the last attack. You leave behind an illusion of a successful attack. It works great for removing yourself from a fight."

"What about me, Sensei?" Naruto pouted, "Why can't I learn that one?"

"Well..." Kakashi shrugged helplessly, "Because your chakra control sucks."

Naruto hung his head, "I know..."

"I do have a technique you might find useful," Kakashi told him, bringing a hopeful smile back to the blonde's face, "It requires a lot of chakra and no finesse."

"Sounds perfect for the dobe," Sasuke remarked with a smirk.

"I actually think it will be," Kakashi replied before Naruto could get angry, "It's the same technique I used to bury you up to your neck."

Naruto sent a mischievous grin at his rival, " I am so in."

"As for Sasuke..." Kakashi considered his massive repertoire of jutsu, "I think a new Katon will be good. The one I'm considering has a lot of defensive applications. That's rare for that element."

Sasuke let off his glaring at Naruto to quirk an eyebrow at his Sensei. It was a sure sign of his interest.

XxXxXxX

It only took five minutes for the whole crew to gather. There were a few missing, but the rest of the ships fifty men were standing nervously listening to a preteen explain what he was about to do to them.

"It's harmless," Osamu started out, "I'm going to place some of my chakra in your system. You may see or hear some things for a few seconds, but that should pass."

"What's this devil child really gonna do ta us?" someone near the center of the mass asked.

"If anyone calls Osamu anything like that again," Hiroto said casually while twirling a kunai around his pinky, "I will personally ensure they never enjoy the company of a woman again."

"I gather tha kid's a sensor," Kyoha sent a half hearted glare at the jonin, "He can't tell ya from tha priates without doin' this, though."

Seeing that their captain was for the plan, the sailors agreed, grudgingly, to submit to Osamu's impromptu technique.

"So what are ya doin' exactly?" the captain asked him as he worked.

"I have a few unique gifts," Osamu hedged, touching a glowing palm to a sailor's arm, "I can sense people from a distance. I noticed that any time I used a technique during training, my target carried an echo of my aura for a while... Is this making sense?"

"I think I get ya," Kyoha replied. He turned to Hiroto, "Yer probably tha most combat experienced person on tha ship. What should we do?"

"What are the primary objectives when attempting to seize a ship?" Hiroto answered with a question of his own.

"Take tha engine room and stop tha thing," right on cue they heard constant rumble of the engines slowly die, "Next will be tha armory, then tha bridge."

"You have an armory?" Hiroto questioned with surprise.

"Course," the Captain retorted incredulously, "You don't spend much time on tha sea, do ya?"

"Alright," he ignored the jibe, "Osamu, what's the next step after taking an objective?"

"Secure and protect it," the boy answered as he finished up with the last few sailors.

"Good," Hiroto nodded in approval, "How many can you sense down there?"

"There are three distinct blobs," Osamu answered, closing his eyes to make use of his reikimokushi better, "Can't tell more than that."

"Can you use your chakra to increase your sensitivity?" Hiroto asked him, "Like hearing or scent."

"Never actually tried..." Osamu frowned at the thought, "I was always trying to shut it out."

"Try it," Hiroto ordered him.

Osamu complied, and the effect was immediately noticeable. He began to glow again, but this time the waves seemed to be flowing into him instead of out. His face screwed up in obvious pain, but he didn't stop.

"There's a large group, fifteen, in what I think is the engine room," he gritted out, "There's a group of ten more moving about two or three decks up."

He grew quiet for a moment and pressed his hands to his temples, "Two more groups of five in the hold... they just split up. I can sense a small group that's probably off the ship. Six of them."

His aura disappeared suddenly and he took a ragged breath, "That's all of them."

"Good job, Osamu," Hiroto put a hand on his shoulder and a radio in his hand, "I just need you to track the groups now."

The boy nodded and clipped the earpiece and microphone assembly to his lobe while Hiroto began to split up the crew into sweep team. Most of them were already armed.

"Captain," Hiroto turned to the sailors' leader, "Osamu will direct them to the enemy. I'm trusting them to know the ship well enough to have a home field advantage."

"Ya don't expect me ta sit on me ass while me boys are fightin'?" Kyoha asked indignantly.

"I expect you to stay here and protect our best chance of keeping casualties to a minimum," he pointed to Osamu, "He can fight, but he's not as durable as the other two."

The captain nodded reluctantly, "I'll die afore anyone lays a hand on him."

"Good," Hiroto turned back to the crew, "I've got the engine room. The rest of you sweep the ship. Follow Osamu's directions."

He passed a radio to each team leader and assigned a number to each one. They all left shortly after.

After they were gone, Osamu looked down at his golden feline, "Follow Hiroto-sensei and back him up."

The cat regarded him for a moment before flicking her ears in a feline shrug and trotting off after the jonin.

XxXxXxX

"Found it," Masaru whispered to Hotaka as they crept along the railing of the upper deck.

"Where?" Hotaka asked, "His eyes were turned inward so that no hostiles could sneak up on them.

"Right below us. Listen..." Masaru ordered as he partially lifted his shirt to access some of the seals he'd painted on his torso.

Hotaka did as he was told despite his curiosity about his friends new adornments. He could just make out an odd rhythm in the waves breaking on the side of the ship. He supposed that's what Masaru was referring to. The large boy was currently unsealing a large spool of rope from his oblique region.

"I thought you said that was dangerous..." Hotaka said, indicating the new seal.

"It is," Masaru confirmed with a smirked, "That's why I'm doing it. No one will want to hold onto a potential living bomb."

Hotaka couldn't argue with that logic as he helped tie a pair of lines for them to rappel down the side of the Kujira. Their lines secure, they each took one and leapt over the rails. They slowed their descent only enough to prevent injury when they landed on the deck of the pirate ship that was like a shark to a whale next to the Kujira.

By happenstance the two teens landed on either side of the two men watching the boat and an opening in the Kujira. It looked as if the pirates had somehow pried open one of the side doors used in loading and offloading smaller cargo from the ship. Both of their eyes opened wide at the appearance of shinobi, and they began to draw their blades.

Hotaka allowed his drop to carry him into a crouch where he then uncoiled his powerful legs again. He jumped up into a spin that carried the heel of his foot into the side of his target's head. There was a sickening snap as the pirates spine buckled under the sudden force, and his body was carried over the side of the small boat.

Masaru's opponent managed to get his blade out, but couldn't ready it before the teen's steel toed boot shot up into his gut. He doubled over in pain. Masaru summoned a kunai from his palm seal and jabbed it up into the pirates face before he could recover. His additional strength training showed in the attack; he managed to punch straight through his victim's skull and jab the blade deep into his brain.

Masaru and Hotaka stood for a moment staring at the body left on the deck.

"Did we just do that?" Masaru whispered to his friend.

"Yea..." Hotaka answered just as stunned.

"NINJA!" a cry sounded from further back on the ship, "NINJA ON THE SHIP!"

Four more pirates appeared around them from various places. The two shinobi automatically stood back to back.

"They're fuckin' kids!" one of the pirates, a behemoth of a man with a shaggy black beard and no discernible weapons.

"Tell that ta Daiki," another, this one with a hook nose, yellow eyes, and a pair of cutlasses, "Tha biggun just put a damn knife through his noggin."

"We got 'em two ta one," the third scoffed. He had a top-knot of straw colored hair. His weapon's seemed to be a set of claws on each hand, "And they ain't got surprise like shinobi need."

The last man, a stocky, almost square shaped man with beady eyes, pulled an axe from his back and grunted his agreement.

"Them or us," Hotaka said to his friend.

"Us or them," Masaru agreed grimly.

Hotaka stood in the second stance of his style, his body turned to provide a smaller target and his hands up to protect his face with the palms facing out.

Masaru set himself in the basic stance of Goken, his feet shoulder width apart with one hand out in front and the other cocked by his side.

The pirates charged as one, unaffected by the rocking of their ship. Masaru was the first to take one out. He turned his forward hand towards the cutlass wielding pirate and launched a kunai with enough speed to cut the air. His target crumpled shortly after the blade entered his guts.

This only seemed to enrage the axe wielding pirate. He came in with lightning fast chops of his two handed weapon, forcing Masaru into a defensive posture. The boy managed to summon a kunai into either hand to parry the heavy weapon with. He couldn't afford to dodge, or Hotaka would end up with the axe in his back.

For his part, Hotaka was finding his opponents to be very synergistic with one another. The big shaggy man attacked in patterns reminiscent of a bear, swiping his big hands like massive paws. His counter part with the claws would dart in between the heavier but slower attacks to keep Hotaka from retaliating. He might have used some of the footwork that had earned his style its name, but he was worried that the pirate he didn't take down would go for his friends back.

The problem with their strategy became quickly apparent to the melee specialist, though. They had an obvious pattern to their attacks. One that Hotaka began to time. Once he was sure he had it down, he shot a knife hand straight out right after a swipe of the bear man's hand. His timing was perfect and he caught the smaller man right in the throat. Hotaka had struck out with all his strength, and Top-knot fell away gasping for air that couldn't enter through his crushed trachea.

The axe-man's furry soon played out, and his attacks became sluggish with fatigue. Masaru took a chance and threw one of his kunai at his enemy's face. As he expected, the veteran fighter managed to interpose the head of his axe and deflect the projectile. Masaru took the time that bought him to pull a small paper pouch from his equipment bag. He threw this right behind the kunai, right as his opponent was lowering the axe. It caught him full in the face and burst into a cloud of red dust that clung to the man's skin.

The pirate began to scream in inarticulate pain as the substance, a mixture of powdered pepper and a contact poison Anko had given him, began to burn his skin and eyes. Unable to see, the pirate fell when Masaru put a burst of three kunai right into his chest.

The final pirate didn't last much longer. With his partner out of the fight, Hotaka was able to step into his guard where his powerful swipes couldn't do much damage. The small boy began to furiously punch and knee his enemy in the abdomen. The bear-like man proved durable, but eventually fell to the chakra enhanced onslaught, his organs pulped to a mess.

The two boys stood panting for a good thirty seconds surveying their gruesome work.

"Them or us..." Hotaka repeated quietly.

"Us or them..." Masaru agreed. After a moment to catch his breath he looked at his friend, "We need to find the engine so I can blow this thing."

Hotaka snapped out of his post combat daze, "What?"

"I think this thing runs on diesel," Masaru began heading for a door that led into the ships interior, "If it does, I can use the fuel tanks to enhance the explosion and save on material."

His thin friend nodded his understanding and followed the large teen down into the belly of the ship. Soon after they were hanging from their lines watching the boat drift away under it's own power.

"That should be good," Masaru said to himself once it got far enough away. He pulled out a small handheld device with an antenna coming from the top. He squeezed it tightly in his hand, then pressed a red button next to the antenna. Their task was completed with a massive explosion that sheered the boat in half. It disappeared below the waves in under a minute.

"That was crazy," Hotaka said as the last of the wreckage drifted out of sight in the mist.

"Yea..." was all Masaru answered with before beginning the climb back up to the top deck.

XxXxXxX

"Can't sleep?" Kakashi asked, causing Naruto to nearly jump out of his skin and fall from the tree they were both in.

"Damnit Sensei!" Naruto whispered harshly as he reseated himself on a wide branch, "You could kill someone like that!"

"I know," Kakashi replied nonchalantly, "I've done it before."

"Wha..." Naruto looked at him with a mixture of confusion and amazement.

"What's keeping you up?" Kakashi settled onto a nearby branch.

Naruto shook himself out of his daze, "You know? About... it?"

"Ah..." Kakashi nodded, "That. I was told you knew."

"What does it make me?" Naruto asked quietly, "A monster? A time bomb?"

"A container," Kakashi answered simply, "You know the Yondaime was my Sensei?"

"He was?" Naruto looked at Kakashi in surprise.

"Yep," the cyclops stared into space, remembering the man, "He told me about a lot of things. Even taught me some sealing. Not long before the Fox attacked he showed me a design he'd been working on. One that could seal away even the most powerful of entities with almost no ill effect to the host."

"Why did he make it?" the blonde asked, unconsciously rubbing his belly through his jacket.

"Protection I suppose," Kakashi shrugged, "Some things are beyond death. The seal did its job, too. Is still doing it."

"But why me?" Naruto asked almost desperately, "Why did it have to be me?"

"If not you, someone else," Kakashi answered. He was surprised at how much he wanted to give the real reason, "Do you hate him for it?"

"I..." the teen stopped to think about it, "He's been my hero for a long time. I mean he died to beat the Fox. I think I'm... angry. Yea... angry. I don't hate him. I'm just mad that I got stuck with the damn thing."

"I suppose that's fair," Kakashi smirked under his mask, "You're a really good kid, Naruto. I think he chose the right person. Not just anyone could hold the Kyuubi no Kitsune prisoner."

"Thanks Sensei," Naruto yawned and stretched, "I think I'm gonna get some sleep now."

"Actually it's your watch now," Kakashi hopped out of the tree, "See you in the morning."

"Maaaan..."

XxXxXxX

"Team one," Osamu spoke into his radio, "There's a group fifty meter's ahead."

"Aight," Team one's leader answered informally.

"Team two, there's a group circling you," the boy continued his job, "I think they plan to come in from behind."

"Got it," the voice of the first mate came over his radio.

"Teams three and four," Osamu creased his brow, "You're about to converge. Don't kill each other."

"We ain't," the two men said at the same time.

"Team five, your area is secure," he opened his eyes and ran a hand across his fuzzy head. It had taken him all of two seconds to realize Hiroto had given away all the radios and not taken one for himself. Osamu was trying very hard not to worry.

"You're pretty handy ta have around," the voice of Captain Kyoha broke into his thoughts, "Ya ever need a new job, I'd be glad ta hire ya."

"You sure your crew won't mutiny for bringing on a devil child?" Osamu countered with a bit more venom than he intended.

"They ain't used ta chakra wielders," the captain offered apologetically, "They're leery o' all o' ya."

Osamu shook his head, "It doesn't matter."

"They was just as untrustin' o' me when I hired 'em," Kyoha told him, "Normal people don't like knowin' ya can do tha impossible."

"You were a shinobi?" Osamu looked back at the captain in surprise.

"Naw," he answered with a laugh, "Was a saumrai... Well, almost a samurai. Fat mouth an' bad temper got me in serious trouble 'afore I got me daisho. The Fire Legion kicked me out, but they can't take away trainin'."

"So the daimyo's Legion has chakra users?" Osamu asked with interest.

"Sure do," the captain smirked, "Not nearly as many as Konoha. Daimyo keeps his true samurai close. There's prolly only about fifty."

"True samurai?" the boy echoed questioningly.

"It's what tha other samurai called 'em," Kyoha explained, "Used ta be ya had ta wield chakra ta even be considered. Ninja kinda ruined that for 'em. Now they take anyone willin' ta follow Bushido."

Osamu considered that info, but decided to log it away for some other time. He refocused his attention to his task again, and furrowed his brow.

"Team two..." he spoke into the radio, "What happened to that group that was circling you?"

"They never attacked us, kid," the leader of that group replied, "We met up with team five ta help clear tha hold."

Osamu's chest clenched. He'd gotten distracted and lost track of some of the enemy. People could die for a mistake like that. He sharpened his focus and searched for the group that he'd lost. He found them where he hadn't expected: level with him and headed right to the bridge.

"Captain, we have about thirty seconds before we're under attack," Osamu stood from the floor and opened the case he stored his bow in. It was slightly larger and thicker than the original Tenten had sold him. He'd soon found an eighty pound pull was rather weak for his unusually powerful physique and had upgraded to this hundred pound monstrosity. Osamu went to peek out the starboard door once he was ready.

He quickly strung the bow and shouldered his quiver as the captain reached under the console of his ship to produce a massive curved sword. The falchion wasn't a standard weapon in Fire, more popular in the deserts of Wind, but Kyoha hefted it with an ease and comfort that bespoke long use.

"Alright, kid..." Captain Kyoha turned just in time to see a blade flash through the boy's neck and send his head flying, "NO!"

"Didn't think ya would hire shinobi, Kyoha," Osamu's killer said, "Expected a bit more, but I'll manage. Surrender yer ship and yer death'll be quick."

Kyoha figured this man to be the captain of the ship attacking his own. He was powerfully built, but still compact. Like many sailor's he forwent armor, the fear of drowning overcoming the fear of a blade in the gut. His head was completely shaved and marked by a black serpent. He had a sharp goatee that framed a smile filled with yellow and black teeth. The enemy captain held a heavy looking leaf-blade sword dripping with blood from the boy Hiroto had told him to protect.

"Captain Arashi, the Sea Serpent," Kyoha spat with venom, recognizing the black snake. He felt a powerful rage building in him, "I'll kill ya fer that."

"Glad me reputation precedes me," the captain stepped onto the bridge and was followed by three large sailors wielding cutlasses and gaff hooks. They were all clean shaven on the head like their captain, but instead of a serpent, they each had a long pointed tooth: the 'serpent's fangs.'

"Looks like yer missin' a tooth..." Kyoha managed to hold onto his cool and bait his foe.

"I'm afraid me first mate felt he deserved a promotion," the serpent frowned, "Shame... he woulda made a good captain."

Kyoha had had enough of the man's flippant attitude. He lifted his falchion in a double handed grip and with an inarticulate cry, chopped down. Despite being nearly fifteen feet away on the other side of the bridge, the four pirates were forced to leap aside as a glowing blue crescent of chakra came flying at them from the blade.

"Neat trick," the serpent taunted as he and his men closed the distance.

Kyoha backed himself into the corner of his bridge to keep his enemies in front of him and held his massive blade so its girth would act as a shield.

It was a tight fit, but the four of them managed to array themselves so that he couldn't slip out. A barrage of blows came in, but he caught most directly on his broad curving blade. Those that slipped by only manged to nick his arms or sides in minor cuts that barely oozed his blood. He was stuck on the defensive, though, waiting for something, anything, to change. Something did.

There was the tale-tell sound of creaking wood, then a humming twang noise. A whistle sounded for half a second before the throat of one of the fangs exploded in gore and he dropped dead. Kyoha managed a glance in lull of combat the death caused. There was an arrow shaft stuck in the back of the fangs neck, right in his spine.

Kyoha didn't wait for his enemies to recover, with a mighty cry he summoned as much chakra as he could to his arms and blade. He brought the falchion down at an angle and clove another fang completely in two from shoulder to hip, causing gore to fountain everywhere.

He heard the creaking again, but so did his two remaining foes. Captain Arashi attacked him furiously with his lighter weapon so that his last fang could turn to face their mysterious adversary. The fang went down immediately with an arrow buried halfway to the fletchings in his eye. There was a bit of arrow head peaking out of the back of his skull.

"The Sea Serpent is toothless," Kyoha mocked, "Ya know ya don't stand a chance against me alone, and me friend still has arrows."

Arashi grimaced as he backed off of Kyoha and lowered his blade. He looked for a moment as if he would drop it, but then bolted towards the exit opposite where he entered. Another arrow went straight though the calf of his right leg and he fell to the deck.

Arashi looked back at his attacker to see the boy he'd decapitated, "But yer dead. I killed ya."

"Fine scare ya gave me ya little bastard," Kyoha nearly yelled at Osamu as he stalked over to Arashi. He kicked away his fellow captain's blade and raised his own for a killing blow.

"I'd like to keep him alive, Captain," Osamu said before the man could finish the task, "He might have some useful info. Consider it payment for protecting your ship."

"Sure thing," the captain agreed and kicked Arashi in the head, sending him into unconsciousness, "Tha hell did ya do ta me? Swear I saw yer head go flyin'."

"Just an illusion," Osamu replied, "I'm sorry for the scare, but I work best when my enemies don't think I'm a threat."

Kyoha looked at the precise placement of the broadhead arrows from the boy's bow, "I'll say."

Osamu took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves before closing his eyes to get a sense of what was going on. He no longer sensed any enemies on the ship, and shortly after saying so over the radio he heard an explosion. Hotaka and Masaru had apparently been successful in their task.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto was reminded just how much he hated combat in closed spaces as he worked his way down towards the engine room. He worked hard to keep the desperation of his first combat experience from intruding on the current situation, and was mostly successful. He supposed it was the reprieve he'd wished for from the memories of the Sakibou massacre, but he honestly wasn't sure which traumatic and guilt inducing experience he preferred.

He shook off the disturbing thoughts and focused back on the present as he exited the corridor he was in into the cavernous engine room. The directions the first mate had given him had led him to the scaffolding that ran across the top, above most of the machinery. Despite the lack of people feeding the many boilers that powered the gigantic engines, there was still a great deal of heat in the chamber.

He cursed and backed into the corridor again to hide behind the door frame when he saw there were at least five of the pirates roaming the walkways. He'd hoped they would be relatively stupid like their land-borne cousins, bandits. It seemed corsairs had some tactical sense after all. Perhaps sending Hotaka and Masaru off without any intel to see what they would do hadn't been such a good idea after all. There was no use worrying about it right now.

The room was unusually quiet with the engines off. All he could hear were the movements of his enemies and a soft whispering. He risked the damage to his ears and channeled some chakra to them to try to hear whatever was being said.

"Yes, Captain," a weak voice drifted into his enhanced ears, "That group has stopped. I believe they are under the impression you are after them. Your path to the bridge is open."

Hiroto's eyes widened in surprise. There was a chakra user amongst the pirates, and he was some sort of sensor. That meant.

"You can come out, Shinobi-san," the voice spoke up, sounding like a shout with chakra trickling to his auditory nerves, "I knew you were coming about five minutes ago."

"Why let me get this far?" Hiroto capitalized on the sudden turning of the nearest pirates to place some kunai in their vitals. Two went down, but the last proved quick enough to duck under the blade aimed at him.

"Because you are far from your team and the sailors," his mysterious adversary replied with a wheezing laugh, "And I have twelve battle-hardened pirates left. A challenge even for a jonin."

"We'll see..." Hiroto ended his sensory enhancement and poked his head back out. He was greeted by a small volley of arrows that forced him to take cover again, but he'd managed to get a decent count. There were a total of six pirates left on the scaffolding, all with shortbows. The engine room was woefully devoid of water and there was no earth to manipulate, so most of his defensive techniques were out. That really just left speed and his shields.

He called forth the Toratate and closed his eyes. He took three slow breaths and felt the trance fall over him. As he took his fourth, he darted around the corner. He was halfway to his first victim by the time any of the pirates fired. Only two arrows were led properly to strike him, and those two were deflected by his shields.

He slammed the razor sharp tip of his left shield into the pirates chest, slipping the point into his heart and lung. He grabbed the body with both hands and turned it to accept another couple of arrows from a parallel walkway. He dropped the body as the archers rushed to nock new shafts and hopped onto the railing of his own walkway.

His powerful legs caused the metal railing to bend as he launched himself across a fifteen foot gap just as more arrows crossed where he had been. He flipped around mid leap to plant his feat in the chest of a pirate just as he was raising his bow. The force of his jump transferred into the unlucky corsair, and he went sailing off the walkway as Hiroto took his place.

The other pirate was in arms reach and had dropped his bow as soon as he realized where the ninja was going to land. He swung his boarding axe in a powerful downward chop that Hiroto accepted on his right shield without so much as a grunt of effort. With the axe tied up over their heads, the jonin used his left shield to perforate the pirates abdomen. The man dropped, writhing and screaming in agony.

Hiroto dropped to his belly to avoid another pair of arrows from further down his current walkway. He hopped up and ran full tilt towards the last two archers, but he was far enough away that they got off another arrow each. He raised his shields and released the energy they had absorbed from the axe blow. With a mighty roar, like a pair of great cats, the arrows were knocked from their course, and the pirates were staggered from the blast.

The first one went down with blood spurting from his neck after Hiroto had sliced his left shield across it. The second was backpedaling while trying to nock another arrow. The jonin crouched low, dismissed his shields and peppered him with a volley of shuriken. The stars hit nothing vital, but the pirate jerked back from the pain only to find he'd run out of room behind him. He went tumbling over a railing, landing with his spine across a raised pipe. There was an audible snap before he slid from the pipe and fell lifeless to the floor.

Hiroto let out his twelfth breath, and the battle trance fell away. He was barely breathing harder than when he started.

"Most impressive, shinobi-san!" the voice called out. The echoing in the chamber made it impossible to pinpoint, "Perhaps you would care to come down here and play with the rest of my friends."

"I find it odd that pirates would answer to such a coward," Hiroto taunted.

"They fear the Sea Serpent," the voice answered with another wheezing laugh, "And I am under his protection."

Hiroto didn't quite understand that, but it was obvious to him he would have to play the game. Once again he wished chakra sensing was something he could learn. There was nothing for it, though. He hopped over the railing to the engine room floor.

He was greeted instantly by a pirate with a sword taller than he was. The slow weapon was easy for the ninja to dodge, and he returned the violent greeting with a kunai jabbed right in the corsair's throat. That left five pirates and whoever was pulling their strings. Supposing Osamu's count had been accurate, of course.

Hiroto stopped just where he was and listened. He could hear the waves lapping against the hull and the random metallic groaning of the superstructure. There was breathing nearby, too. The engine room was a maze of machines and piping, though. Someone could be right next to him, but still unreachable. He didn't want to try climbing back up to the walkways and be open to missile fire again, so he would just have to suffer a labyrinth.

He crept along, staying as quiet as possible. He stopped at a corner and pulled a mirror from his pouch. Using to peek around the corner he saw the last five pirates standing in a line with bows half drawn. If he went around the corner, he would come away with at least an injury. He figured it was about time he actually pulled out one of his bigger techniques. He wasn't good enough with Fuuton to cut through metal, so damage to the ship would be minimal.

He took a deep breath and worked a few seals. On the last one, he jumped out of cover. The pirates, to their credit, reacted immediately. Five arrows flew at him.

"Fuuton: Renkuudan," he shouted as he exhaled a massive bubble of swirling, cutting winds.

He watched as the maelstrom blew the arrows off course, then slammed into the pirates. The wind chakra cut ribbons off of them, then burst in a concussive blast. He figured he needed to work on his ninjutsu. Even with the full set of seals and the incantation, he'd still only cut chunks out of them. Asuma could dismember with his Renkuudan without so much as a twitch of his fingers.

"Very good, Shinobi-san," the owner of the voice stepped into view some distance behind the corpses of his allies, "You deserve to at least see your death before it comes."

"You're blind," Hiroto snorted in amusement, "And frail..."

Both were true. The man before him was his height, but looked as if he weighed no more than Osamu. It seemed to Hiroto that it was a miracle this man could even walk. Despite that, he seemed to have an unearthly energy and vitality to him.

There was something off about the black cloth that covered his eyes. It seemed to almost drink in the light. He wore robes of a similar color, but they didn't have the same odd quality to them.

It was his skin that was most disturbing, though. It was as white as chalk and translucent enough to see every vein pulsing under the surface.

"I am Kirau," the blind man gave a shallow bow, "May I have your name to carve into my tablet when you are dead?"

He looked on incredulously, "Ryouko Hiroto."

"You mock me in your mind," Kirau grinned, showing off teeth red as blood, "but that is to be expected."

"Look, freak show," Hiroto was getting tired of this, "I don't have time for this. Spring whatever trap you have set up so I can overcome it and kill you."

The blind man continued to grin, but as a minute passed without anything happening the smile faltered.

"You need me to attack you," the jonin puzzled out. When Kirau frowned, Hiroto smiled and began to walk forward casually.

"You think I don't know what you are... that your kind is so rare no one would recognize you," he said conversationally. As he moved forward, Kirau backpedaled, "But I know. I've studied tomes and scrolls that go back to almost the time of the Sage."

"You're bluffing," Kirau's skin grew visibly moist with sweat, "You couldn't possibly know."

"You practice sorcerery," Hiroto grinned at the frightened look he got, "The first method ever for manipulating chakra. The techniques it can unleash are terrifying in their power."

Kirau bumped into a large machine and seemed to attempt melting into it. Hiroto stepped close to cut off escape.

"The problem is, you need an additional component," Hiroto whispered to him, "You use hand seals and incantations, but you need something more. Yours is pain, isn't it? I doubt you can inflict enough on yourself to power your techniques, though."

Kirau whimpered.

"I'll take that as a yes," Hiroto pulled back and reached into his pouch. He pulled out a small vial with thick purple liquid in it, "Know what this is?"

Kirau shook his head.

"Me neither," the jonin replied, "Nice lady with a fondness for snakes gave it to me after I saved her life. She told me to be very careful with it, since just a drop on your skin will kill you in minutes."

Hiroto popped off the top and slung the contents on the sorcerer's face, "She did say that it's completely painless, though. Have fun."

He watched to make sure the stuff actually worked before leaving. When Kirau lay still, he turned to find the sorcerer standing amongst the last five pirates he'd killed. The black robed man worked his hands in unusual seals and spoke words that sounded impossible for a human to make. A moment later, Hiroto was wrapped in chains made of solidified blood.

"My component is actually blood," Kirau laughed menacingly, "And you've given me so much to work with. Too bad you wasted such a lovely toxin on an illusion."

"That was actually just a mild sedative used to loosen tongues," Hiroto smiled at him, "I needed you to reveal yourself; though, I hadn't figured to be bound like this."

"All your plans for naught," Kirau moved forward, seemingly intent on drawing this out.

"Not really," Hiroto managed a small shrug in his bonds, "Despite my desire to tackle this alone, one of my loyal students has seen fit to send some backup with me."

"What?" Kirau backed up a few steps from Hiroto's bound form.

"Her," Hiroto explained just as the sorcerer felt a weight on his back. Before he could react, he felt numerous sharp claws puncture his neck near his windpipe. A second later they ripped backward, shredding his throat and spilling his blood everywhere.

He might have worked a spell to heal the wounds, but his blood flowed too quickly and he died before he could even recall the proper one. With their maker dead, the blood chains fell away.

"Shouldn't you be with Osamu," Hiroto questioned the large golden feline.

She paused in cleaning her paws to look up at him with a neutral expression.

"Point taken," Hiroto said, "He can take care of himself, but I'm still going to yell at him."

Yancha cocked her head to the side in confusion as Hiroto walked away. He'd actually managed to peg her thoughts almost exactly.

XxXxXxX

Hiroto heard the explosion as he was working his way back up to the main deck. He came across one of the groups of sailors on his way. They were two less and grim, but the ship was clear.

He exited into the misty night air just as Hotaka and Masaru were climbing back aboard.

"Good job, you two," he put an arm around each of their shoulders, "I figured you would just leap into your task without looking first."

"Uhh..." Masaru said dumbly.

"You did exactly that, didn't you?" Hiroto sighed.

"Yea..." Hotaka replied sheepishly, "We fought six pirates and won, though."

"Glad to see you're capable of adapting to your own stupid mistakes," their Sensei remarked dryly.

They reached the bridge and saw Captain Kyoha hefting a pair of corpses with arrows stuck in them. There was a third in two parts he hadn't touched yet.

"What happened here?" Hiroto demanded of Osamu who was securing a prisoner with rope.

"This is Captain Arashi," Osamu explained, "He and his men made it to the bridge, so the captain and I took them down."

"Why don't ya just give tha boy a ballista," Kyoha called from outside the bridge where he was tossing the pirates in a heap for his crew to deal with, "Damn bow o' his nearly sent arrows through these scags and inta me!"

"Shouldn't one of the sweep teams have intercepted this group?" Hiroto asked, confused.

"I uh..." Osamu finished tying up the prisoner, "I kinda got distracted and lost them for a bit. That's how they got up here."

Hiroto's shoulders sunk, "We're going over situational awareness again."

The three boys groaned in unison, but they seemed to accept that they had all goofed. What Hiroto _was _happy to see was they seemed to be handling mortality far better this time around. He could tell they were still bothered, but they were covering it far better and likely feeling it less. The tough part now was staying human despite the bloodshed.

* * *

Whew. I have a healthy respect for anyone who can write a decent action sequence. That shit is not easy. I am happy I got to showcase how much of a badass Hiroto has become since his promotion. To give you an idea of the timing, an average healthy adult respirates (in and out) about 12 - 24 times a minute (Yes, I look this shit up. I get weird when it comes to numbers).

I now have the three disciplines of chakra usage: nindo, bushido, and sorcery. My goal here (besides improving my writing) is to enhance the original world into something vibrant and complex.


End file.
